Hindawi Publishing Corporation
Case Reports in Cardiology
Volume 2013, Article ID 124235, 3 pages
http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/124235
Case Report
A Fibromatosis Case Mimicking Abdominal Aorta Aneurysm
Arzu Tasdemir,
1
Cemal Kahraman,
2
Kutay Tasdemir,
2
and Ertugrul Mavili
3
1
Department of Pathology, Educational and Research Hospital, Sanayi Mah., Atat¨ urk Bulvarı Hastane Cad., Kocasinan,
38010 Kayseri, Turkey
2
Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Erciyes University Medical School, Talas Yolu 5. Km, 38039 Kayseri, Turkey
3
Department of Radiology, Erciyes University Medical School, Talas Yolu 5. Km, 38039 Kayseri, Turkey
Correspondence should be addressed to Arzu Tasdemir; atasdemir@erciyes.edu.tr
Received 10 May 2013; Accepted 12 June 2013
Academic Editors: R. Bornemeier, K.-R. Chiou, F. M. Sarullo, and H. Ueda
Copyright © 2013 Arzu Tasdemir et al. his is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License,
which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Retroperitoneal ibrosis is a rare ibrosing reactive process that may be confused with mesenteric ibromatosis. Abdominal aorta
aneurysm is rare too and mostly develops secondary to Behcet’s disease, trauma, and infection or connective tissue diseases.
Incidence of aneurysms occurring as a result of atherosclerotic changes increases in postmenopausal period. Diagnosis can be
established with arteriography, tomography, or magnetic resonance imaging associated with clinical indings. Tumors and cysts
should be considered in diferential diagnosis. Abdominal ultrasound and contrast-enhanced computerized tomography revealed
an infrarenal abdominal aorta aneurysm in a 41-year-old woman, but, on surgery, retroperitoneal ibrosis surrounding the aorta
was detected. We present this interesting case because retroperitoneal ibrosis encircling the abdominal aorta can mimic abdominal
aorta aneurysm radiologically.
1. Introduction
Retroperitoneal ibrosis is a rare reactive process. It is two
to three times more common in men, and most patients
present with it during the ith or sixth decade of life [1]. It
is unusual before the age of 20 or over the age of 70. It is
characterized by difuse or localized ibroblastic proliferation
in the retroperitoneum causing compression or obstruction
of the ureters, aorta, or other vascular structures.
Abdominal aorta aneurysms (AAAs) are vascular
pathologies that mostly develop in advanced-age group due
to atherosclerosis. AAAs have a male predominance. But
following menopause, female/male ratio becomes equal.
Aneurysms become symptomatic ater they reach a certain
diameter. he diagnosis is established radiologically. But
sometimes, benign or malignant lesions may mimic AAAs
by surrounding the aorta. Herein, we report a 41-year-old
woman who had complaints of abdominal and back pain and
was diagnosed as AAA on CT and USG. But on surgery, it was
seen that the periaortic thickening was due to retroperitoneal
ibrosis. herefore, we aimed to present this rare case and
stress that retroperitoneal ibromatosis should be kept in
mind in the diferential diagnosis of AAA.
2. Case Report
A 41-year-old woman was admitted to the cardiology clinic
because of abdominal and back pain. Physical examination
revealed a mass in the subxyphoideal region. An abdominal
aorta aneurysm with thrombosis was detected on abdominal
ultrasound. CT was obtained for showing the extent of
the lesion. CT showed an infrarenal aneurysm (Figure 1)
that extends through terminal aorta under renal arteries
and reaches to a diameter of 6 cm in some areas. Blood
pressure was 120/70 mmHg, and pulse was regular with a
rate of 88 bpm. Other organ systems were normal. Laboratory
indings of the patient were as follows: hemoglobin: 13,5 g/dL,
WBC: 8000 cell/mm
3
, hematocrit: 42.4%, glucose: 96 mg/dL,
and BUN: 17 mg/dL. Her family history was unremarkable.
Surgical operation was planned. A midline incision was
made to enter abdomen. Intra-abdominal organs were closed
by towel dressings to provide the exposure needed. A mass
encircling the aorta was encountered. Posterior peritoneum
and neighboring structures were irmly adhered to the mass.
Complete resection was impossible because the mass was sur-
rounding the aorta and neighboring structures. A diagnostic