[A large aneurysm of the inferior mesenteric artery. Apropos of a case. Review of the literature].

The prevalence of inferior mesenteric aneurysms is difficult to evaluate in the literature, only four cases having been published up to the present. The case described here was a large aneurysm of the inferior mesenteric artery measuring 10 cm by 8 cm of atheromatous origin, discovered echotomographic investigation of an abdominal mass and confirmed by aortography. Operation consisted in endoaneurysmorrhaphy with reimplantation of the main branch supplying the sigmoid arteries into the aorta combined with reimplantation of the right common iliac eroded by the aneurysm into the right side of the aorta. This type of lesion raises two problems: diagnostic: echotomography and digitalised angiography will certainly facilitate the detection of such lesions, the risk of rupture of which is considerable; therapeutic: distal reimplantation of the inferior mesenteric artery which is decided on the basis of its anatomical state and above all the superior mesenteric and coeliac collateral circulation in order to avoid any risk of ischaemia of the descending colon.