Inflammatory aneurysms of the abdominal aorta

Abstract Two hundred and seventeen patients presenting with abdominal aneurysms in the Department of Surgery at the Manchester Royal Infirmary between the years 1958–69 were surveyed retrospectively. One hundred and eighty-seven of the patients underwent operation for resection of their aneurysms; of these, 19 (10 per cent) showed excessive thickening of the aneurysm walls and perianeurysmal adhesions at operation. Subsequent histological examination of the walls of these unusual aaneurysms showed extensive active chronic inflammatory changes, including plasma-cell infiltration. This group of patients whose aneurysms we describe as ‘inflammatory’ presented with different clinical features in comparison with the atherosclerotic group. Retrospective investigation has not yet revealed any aetiological factors. We feel that ‘inflammatory’ aneurysms are a discrete entity with significant differences from atherosclerotic aneurysms and previously described arteritis.