Association of multiple aneurysms and kidney and liver cyst disease

BACKGROUND: Ehlers Danios syndrome (type IV) and kidney and liver cyst dise ase can present a common factor: anomalous biosynthesis of structural colla gen and elastic tissue, We present an exceptional case, CASE REPORT: A 62-year-old man complained of pain in the upper left quadran t of the abdomen. Ultrasonography, magnetic resonance imaging and arteriogr aphy evidenced an aneurysm of the splenic artery, an aneurysm of the hypoga stric artery, multiple cysts in the kidney and liver, and mitral valvulopat hy. Treatment was splenectomy with resection of the splenic aneurysm and re section of the iliac aneurysm and iliac-iliac bypass. DISCUSSION: The association of kidney and liver cyst disease with venous ga strointestinal and cardiovascular complications is well known. The simultan eous presence of cysts and peripheral and visceral aneurysms with anomalies of the arterial wall resembling Ehlers Danlos syndrome (type IV) would sug gest that these two diseases might result from a common connective tissue a nomaly, The underlying mechanism(s) remain unknown. (C) 2000, Masson, Paris .