INFLAMMATORY ANEURYSM OF THE ASCENDING AORTA - AN UNREPORTED ENTITY

A 69-year-old woman with an enlarging ascending aortic aneurysm is pre sented. At operation, the patient was noted to have extensive peri-ane urysmal fibrosis and inflammation with a 1 cm thick aneurysm wall. Pat hologic examination was consistent with inflammatory aneurysm. Inflamm atory aneurysms of the thoracic aorta are uncommon and this may be the first patient with this process involving the ascending aorta with bo th operative and pathologic findings.