Ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm presenting as symptomatic inguinal mass: report of six cases

Diagnosis and perioperative management of ruptured AAA mimicking symptomatic groin hernia

INTRODUCTION

Ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (RAAA) can infrequently present as symptomatic groin hernia. This misleading form of presentation often leads to erroneous preoperative management resulting in poor survival.

CASE PRESENTATION

Two patients with RAAA mimicking symptomatic groin hernia underwent different preoperative managements pointing out the importance of the principles of hypotensive haemostasis in the scope of this emergency scenario.

CONCLUSION

Computed Tomography Angiography (CTA) remains the recommended diagnostic tool-for both safe diagnosis of the ruptured aneurysm and precise preoperative planning. Endovascular aortic repair of the RAAA-if feasible-is the treatment of choice. This rare form of RAAA manifestation should call physicians attention-especially in patients with known abdominal aortic aneurysms in their preceding medical history.

Incarcerated inguinal hernia: atypical presentation of an abdominal aortic aneurysm

The diagnosis of an inguinal hernia, be it complicated or uncomplicated, is often simple and straight forward. Rarely, this simple presentation may be the external manifestation of a distant pathology, which is in communication with the inguinal canal through its anatomic relationship. We report a case of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) that presented as a strangulated left inguinal hernia. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case where the patient was stable on initial presentation, both clinically and biochemically. The only clue for our patient that pointed towards a potential aneurysm was the presence of intra-operative blood in the spermatic cord. We conclude that any patient presenting with symptoms suggestive of a hernia, particularly on the left side, should have a thorough assessment to rule out AAA.

Risk of small field of view in lumbar spine computed tomography for assumed lumbar disc herniation: beware contained ruptured aortic aneurysm

Among several other atypical clinical presentations, back and leg pain may ensue from a contained ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm. The present case concerns a patient whose back and leg pain were primarily thought to be orthopaedic or neurologic in origin. Computed tomography with small field of view, performed for the detection of a possible lumbar disc herniation, only partially showed a paraspinal soft tissue mass. Subsequently, recognition of this mass as a contained ruptured aortic aneurysm was delayed. The literature is reviewed concerning comparable cases and it is concluded that computed tomograms performed for possible lumbar disc herniation should also be screened for paraspinal disease and consequently, the applied field of view should be large enough to include at least the paraspinal psoas regions.

Atypical manifestations of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms

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