Inflammatory aneurysm of the ascending aorta; an unreported entity.

A 69-year-old woman with an enlarging ascending aortic aneurysm is presented. At operation, the patient was noted to have extensive peri-aneurysmal fibrosis and inflammation with a 1 cm thick aneurysm wall. Pathologic examination was consistent with inflammatory aneurysm. Inflammatory aneurysms of the thoracic aorta are uncommon and this may be the first patient with this process involving the ascending aorta with both operative and pathologic findings.