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CC BY 4.0 · Aorta (Stamford) 2020; 08(02): 035-037
DOI: 10.1055/s-0040-1701212
Case Report
Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Proximal Descending Thoracic Aortic Pseudoaneurysm Secondary to Pott's Spine

Irappa Madabhavi
1   Department of Medical and Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, Kerudi Cancer Hospital, Bagalkot, Karnataka, India
,
Malay Sarkar
2   Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Indira Gandhi Medical College, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, India
,
Chidanand Chauhan
3   Department of Radiology, Indira Gandhi Medical College, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, India
,
Mitul Modi
4   Department of Pathology, Gujarat Cancer and Research Institute, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India
› Author Affiliations Funding None.
Further Information

Publication History

13 June 2018

18 November 2019

Publication Date:
31 July 2020 (online)

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Abstract

Tuberculous pseudoaneurysm of the descending thoracic aorta is quite rare, life-threatening, and fatal if not diagnosed in time. This lesion exposes patients to a very high risk of unpredictable rupture. We describe a case of tuberculous pseudoaneurysm of the aorta in association with tuberculosis of the spine (Pott's spine). A 73-year-old man presented with a 2-month history of back pain. Chest roentgenography and contrast-enhanced computed tomography showed a descending thoracic aortic pseudoaneurysm with destruction of the fourth and fifth thoracic vertebrae (T4-T5). We suspected that the pseudoaneurysm was due to direct extension of tuberculous vertebral osteomyelitis. The patient was managed with antituberculous chemotherapy. The post–antitubercular therapy course was uneventful and he remained well 12 months after completion of treatment.

Keywords

tuberculosis - vertebra - aneurysm - antitubercular treatment
 

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