Salmonella Aortic Aneurysm: A Patient with Nonspecific Type of Low-Back and Abdominal Pain

Abstract

Infected aortic aneurysms are uncommon. Their nonspecific clinical symptoms make them easy for doctors to miss, and then severe complications and high mortality come weeks later. We present a 73-year-old man who had nonspecific low-back pain and was found to have infectious aortitis with positive culture of Salmonella. His condition changed from a non-dilating aorta with periaortic air to a nearly ruptured pseudoaneurysm over 1 month. After receiving a grafting surgery with antibiotic therapy, the patient was discharged under stable conditions. Relevant literature is also reviewed.

Keywords

• infectious aortitis
• mycotic aneurysm
• Salmonella