PSEUDOANEURYSM OF THE THORACIC AORTA PRESENTING AS PURULENT PERICARDITIS AND PERICARDIAL-EFFUSION

Report of a case of a mycotic pseudoaneurysm of the ascending thoracic aorta occurring in the absence of surgical or blunt trauma in a patie nt who presented with purulent pericarditis. Surgical pericardial drai nage was required, which revealed Staphlococcal aureus. Subsequent tra nsesophageal echocardiogram demonstrated a 4 cm x 4 cm pseudoaneurysm of the posterior wail of the aorta above the sinotubular junction. The patient refused surgical correction of the aortic pseudoaneurysm and was successfully managed with antibiotic therapy. (C) 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.