Spontaneous dissection of the infrarenal abdominal aorta.

Spontaneous infrarenal abdominal aortic dissection is rare. We observed enlargement of a spontaneous infrarenal aortoiliac dissection in a 55-year-old hypertensive man. Open surgical repair with a bifurcated polyester graft was successful. A review of the English literature found 41 previously published cases. Mean age was 58 years, 74% of the patients were male, and 62% had hypertension. None had Marfan or Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. More than three fourths of the patients had symptoms, 6 patients (14%) presented with aortic rupture. Dissection was limited to the infrarenal aorta in 50% and extended into the iliac or femoral arteries in 50%. Three patients died before treatment, no death occurred after endovascular repair of after elective open aortic grafting. Mortality following rupture was 67%. Abdominal aortic dissection did not reoccur but 1 patient died at 14 month because of rupture of a thoracic aneurysm. Spontaneous infrarenal abdominal aortic dissections are rare, but usually symptomatic and 14% rupture. Rupture carries high mortality. Elective open repair is recommended, but endovascular repair is a new treatment option for suitable patients. Copyright 2002, Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.