ANEURYSM OF A COMMON CELIOMESENTERIC TRUNK

Aneurysm of the celiac and/or superior mesenteric arteries are uncommo n, accounting for 10% of visceral artery aneurysms. Aneurysms involvin g a common celiomesenteric trunk are extremely rare. Up to now only tw o cases have been reported. In this report we describe a saccular aneu rysm originating from the bifurcation of a common celiomesenteric trun k. Treatment consisted of resection followed by suture of the aneurysm al neck. This anatomic variation of the visceral arteries probably res ulted from a defect in embryonic development suggesting that the aneur ysm was congenital in origin. Other etiologies of aneurysms in this lo cation are atherosclerosis, infection, inflammation, and arterial dyst rophy. These lesions are almost always surgical indications requiring complete angiographic study of the visceral vasculature.