Inflammatory AAA

Inflammatory abdominal aortic aneurysm (AA) accounts for 5 % to 10 % of all cases of AAA and is characterised pathologically by marked thickening of the aneurysm wall, fibrosis of the adjacent retroperitoneum, and adherence of the adjacent structures. The abdominal or back pain, weight loss, and elevated systemic inflammatory markers triad in patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms suggests inflammatory aneurysm. Surgical treatment of AA is prudent once the diameter of the aneurysm exceeds 5.5 cm. Even though it is related to a three-time higher perioperative morbidity and mortality rate than in noninflammatory aneurysm, most authors agree that corticosteroids do not alter the long-term development of inflammatory aneurysms and that operative repair of the aneurysm is the treatment of choice.