Spontaneous hemothorax caused by ruptured multiple mycotic aortic aneurysms: a case report and literature review.

BACKGROUND: Mycotic aortic aneurysm (MAA) is a rare clinical entity with an incidence of 1-3%, but it is a life-threatening infection of aorta characterized by dilatation of aorta with false lumen. Multiple MAAs have been reported rarely with an incidence of 0.03% and associated with a high mortality rate of 80% if ruptured. CASE PRESENTATION: A hypertensive and diabetic 78-year-old man visited our emergency department complaining intermittent dull and tingled pain over the left flank region for 1 week. Chest X-ray showed left pleural effusion and hemothorax was confirmed by thoracocentesis. Computed tomography (CT) of chest demonstrated multiple thoracic aortic aneurysms and the pathological findings disclosed the diagnosis of multiple MAAs. He was discharged under an uneventful condition post-surgical aortic repair with adequate intravenous antibiotics for 4 weeks. CONCLUSIONS: CT scan may make a definite diagnosis of multiple MAAs and management with surgical debridement, aortic repair and full-course antibiotics for Gram-positive coccus and/or Gram-negative bacillus is recommended.

Endovascular treatment for traumatic thoracic aortic pseudoaneurysm: a case report.

Cases of an endovascular treatment for traumatic aortic injury are extremely rare. A prompt diagnosis of traumatic thoracic aortic pseudoaneurysm through a 3-dimensional computed tomographic angiography of aorta and emergency repair are mandatory to rescue the life-threatening condition. An endovascular treatment is a trend for traumatic aortic injury because of lower invasivity, morbidity and mortality. We reported a rare case of traumatic aortic injury with thoracic aortic pseudoaneurysm definitively diagnosed by the reconstructional computed tomographic angiography of aorta and successfully treated with endovascular stent-graft.