Acute occlusion of an abdominal aortic aneurysm - Case report and review of the literature

Acute thrombosis of an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a surgical emerge ncy. Only 44 cases have been reported in the literature. The mechanism of t he thrombosis has not been delineated. The proposed etiologies include prop agation of thrombus from distal artery occlusion, cardiac thromboembolism, and dislodgment of a mural thrombus. Patients often present bilateral lower extremity ischemia, mimicking a saddle embolism. Systemic heparinization i mmediately after diagnosis and prompt surgical revascularization can reduce the mortality rate. The authors present a patient with sudden thrombosis o f an AAA who was successfully treated with an axillobifemoral bypass graft. All published cases of thrombosed AAAs are analyzed.