IMPENDING RUPTURE OF THE ASCENDING AORTA DUE TO GIANT-CELL ARTERITIS

Giant cell arteritis may occasionally lead to vessel perforation witho ut previous dissection. At the level of the ascending aorta, however, such an event has been reported only three times. We report a fourth c ase of impending rupture of the ascending aorta due to a small and iso lated lesion of giant cell arteritis. In contrast to previous reports, laboratory and clinical manifestations suggestive of giant cell arter itis were absent in this case so that the diagnosis could only be esta blished on histologic examination of the operative specimen.