Infected abdominal aortic aneurysm.

In the surgical literature, 37 survivors of infected abdominal aortic aneurysmorrhaphy have been reported. The diagnosis is suspected if a patient with fever, leukocytosis, and abdominal pain is noted on physical examination to have a pulsatile abdominal mass. Confirmation is best obtained with computerized tomography and angiography. We used a protocol for surgical diagnosis and management to successfully treat two patients who are added to the list of known survivors of infection of an abdominal aortic aneurysm.