[Inflammatory aneurysm of the abdominal aorta: TC assessment of the postoperative course].

This study was aimed at investigating CT reliability in the postoperative follow-up of inflammatory abdominal aortic aneurysms (IAAA) previously treated with prosthesis positioning. During the last 5 years, 13 male patients operated on for subrenal IAAA with intraluminal prosthesis positioning, were followed-up with CT. All CT images were reviewed by three radiologists to assess prosthesis integrity; the possible presence of intraluminal thrombosis was investigated, together with pre/postprosthetic dilatation and the involvement of inferior vena cava, ureters and third duodenal segment. The prostheses were intact and no signs of intraluminal thrombosis were depicted in all patients; a periprosthetic dilation of abdominal aorta associated with parietal thrombosis was observed in one patient. Nine patients exhibited mild-moderate thickening of the original aortic or iliac walls; the inferior vena cava was involved in 6 of them and the left ureter in one. Contact with the III duodenal segment was found in 3 patients. In conclusion, CT proves to be a reliable technique in the postoperative follow-up of IAAA, yielding accurate information about the prosthesis, the aortoiliac walls and retroperitoneal structures. Moreover, in our experience late postoperative complications were not of major clinical importance.