Mycotic pseudoaneurysm of the brachiocephalic artery

Jpn J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2004 Mar;52(3):155-7. doi: 10.1007/s11748-004-0134-8.

Abstract

A 73-year-old woman with a history of hypertension and hyperlipidemia presented with a sharp pain ranging from the right shoulder to the upper limb. She had suffered a sharp pain at rest accompanied by general fatigue and nausea for about ten months prior to admission. Her white blood cell count was 12,800/microl, and her serum C-reactive protein was 17.5 mg/dl. A chest computed tomography scan revealed an aneurysmal change of the origin of the brachiocephalic artery. Pseudoaneurysm due to infection and aortic dissection was considered as a preoperative diagnosis. A total arch replacement was performed under cardiopulmonary bypass, deep hypothermia, and selective cerebral perfusion. Postoperatively, a bacteriologic culture of the contents of the aneurysm revealed Staphylococcus aureus. Perioperative administration of antibiotics was effective and the postoperative course was uneventful.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Aneurysm, False / microbiology*
  • Aneurysm, False / surgery*
  • Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation
  • Brachiocephalic Trunk*
  • Cardiopulmonary Bypass
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Staphylococcal Infections / diagnosis*
  • Staphylococcal Infections / surgery*