[Rupture of atherosclerotic aneurysms of abdominal aorta into the duodenum].

A woman, 77 years old, and two men aged 65 and 70 years died 28-96 hours after sudden beginning of recurrent massive gastrointestinal hemorrhages of clinically unknown origin. Ruptured atherosclerotic abdominal aortic aneurysms with aortoduodenal fistulas were revealed at autopsies. Anatomical predispositions for these rare complications and the causes of the diagnostic mistakes are discussed.