Infected Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm Concurrent with Endophthalmitis by Candida albicans: a Case Report / 대한의진균학회지

Candida species cause various invasive fungal diseases, including candidemia, endocarditis, endophthalmitis, peritonitis, osteomyelitis and arthritis, but infected (mycotic) aortic aneurysms caused by Candida species are very rare. So, we report a case of infected thoracic aortic aneurysm concurrent with endophthalmitis by Candida albicans in a 42-year-old man. The patient initially was diagnosed with candidial endophthalmitis and hospitalized for vitrectomy. On admission, he had chest CT taken and infected thoracic aortic aneurysm was detected. He treated with antifungal agent and resection and patch repair of aortic aneurysm. Two months later, a new aneurysm on the patch repair site was detected and thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) was performed. After TEVAR and long-term antifungal therapy, his infected aortic aneurysm has been successfully treated.

Successful Treatment of a Rapidly-Expanding Infected Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm with <i>Streptococcus pneumonia</i> / 日本心臓血管外科学会雑誌

An 83-year-old woman who had an attack of fever, fatigue, and lumbar pain was hospitalized as an emergency. Detailed investigations revealed that she had urinary infection, infectious spondylitis, and bacteremia with <i>Streptococcus pneumonia</i>, for which she received antimicrobial therapy. After 12 days in hospital, enhanced computed tomography showed that the aortic arch had expanded, with fluid collection. Though there had been no imaging findings by computed tomography scan on admission. We thought this was an infected thoracic aortic aneurysm with <i>Streptococcus pneumonia</i>, and continued to administer the antibiotic drugs for infection control. After 14 days in hospital, she developed hoarseness and complained of severe back pain. Emergency computed tomography scan showed that the aortic arch had further expanded to 66 mm in size and that much more fluid had collected. We decided it was an impending rupture of the rapidly-expanding infected thoracic aortic aneurysm, and we then performed an emergency operation. The infected portion of the thoracic aorta was resected. The ascending, arch, and descending portions of the aorta were replaced with rifampicin-bonded synthetic graft, and then omental wrapping was performed. Antimicrobial administration was continued after surgery. The postoperative course was uneventful. The infection was successfully controlled. She was discharged without complications. No signs of recurrent infection have been observed for 1 year and 6 months after operation.

Successful Repair of Critical Anastomotic Bleeding after Surgery for Ruptured Infected Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm / 日本心臓血管外科学会雑誌

Infected aortic aneurysm is very difficult to treat and is associated with a high mortality rate. A 78-year-old man had been scheduled to undergo selective endovascular repair for distal aortic arch aneurysm. While standby, however, he was admitted to our emergency room because of hemoptysis. Rapid dilatation of the aneurysm shown on serial CT and elevated of inflammatory reactions yielded a diagnosis of infected aortic aneurysm. Because the aneurysm had ruptured into the left lung, emergency surgery was performed. Six days after the first operation, critical bleeding due to anastomotic disruption of the distal aorta caused by infection and subsequent cardiac arrest occurred. We immediately started open chest massage and controlled the bleeding manually in the ICU, while an operating room was prepared. In the redo operation, anastomotic disruption was repaired using the visceral pleura under deep hypothermic circulatory arrest. Anastomotic bleeding is a potentially life-threatening condition, therefore extremely prompt measures are vital. Appropriate management based on the assumption of anastomotic bleeding was very important in the postoperative course of this case of infectious aortic aneurysm.

A Successful Case of Treatment of Graft Infection by Using Allografts after Ascending Thoracic Aortic Reconstruction / 日本心臓血管外科学会雑誌

Thoracic graft infection is a serious complication and has high mortality. We report a case of successful treatment of graft infection after ascending thoracic aortic reconstruction. A 66-year-old woman underwent surgery for DeBakey type I aortic dissection in June 2007. The ascending aorta was replaced with a prosthetic graft. Although her postoperative course was complicated with Methicillin-resistant <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> (MRSA) mediastinitis, the infection was conservatively controlled by mediastinal lavage and antibiotics. However, she was readmitted in April 2008 due to lumbar pain and high fever, and was diagnosed with infectious spondylitis. Lumbar plastic surgery was performed. During hospitalization, she underwent total systemic examination. The results indicated aneurysm of the ascending aorta. MRSA was detected from culture fluid of her blood. Taken together, the presence of an infected aortic aneurysm was considered possible. Consequently, reconstruction of the ascending aorta using two allografts was performed after removing the prosthetic graft. The postoperative course was uneventful, and she was discharged on the 71st postoperative day. The patient continues to thrive 9 months after the operation. This case of an infected aortic aneurysm repaired with the use of allografts will be reported together with references to the literature.

A Case of Aortic Aneurysm Rupture Infected by Clostridium septicum in a Patient with Colon Cancer / 감염과화학요법

Infected aortic aneurysm a life-threatening disease entity. Clostridium septicum is a very rare pathogen of infected aneurysms that carries a high mortality rate and demonstrates a strong association with an derlying colonic or hematologic neoplasm. Herein, we report a case of ruptured aortic aneurysm infected by C. septicum in a patient with colon cancer. This is the first reported case of infected aneurysm caused by C. septicum in Korea. Early diagnosis, appropriate antibiotic therapy, and prompt surgical interventions are required considering the rapid downhill progression of C. septicum-induced infected aneurysm.

A Case of Aortic Aneurysm Rupture Infected by Clostridium septicum in a Patient with Colon Cancer / 감염과화학요법

Infected aortic aneurysm a life-threatening disease entity. Clostridium septicum is a very rare pathogen of infected aneurysms that carries a high mortality rate and demonstrates a strong association with an derlying colonic or hematologic neoplasm. Herein, we report a case of ruptured aortic aneurysm infected by C. septicum in a patient with colon cancer. This is the first reported case of infected aneurysm caused by C. septicum in Korea. Early diagnosis, appropriate antibiotic therapy, and prompt surgical interventions are required considering the rapid downhill progression of C. septicum-induced infected aneurysm.