Thrombotic occlusion of abdominal aortic aneurysm following distal embolization.

SUDDEN THROMBOSIS of an aneurysnm of the abdominal aorta is an extremely rare complication. More commonly, abdominal aortic aneurysms rupture and bleed either retroperitoneally, into the free peritoneal cavity, or into adjacent bowel or mesentery. By contrast, the commonest complications of popliteal aneurysms are acute occlusion due to thrombosis of the aneurysm and peripheral embolic occlusion from mural thrombi within the aneurysm.1 Embolic phenomena and thrombosis of an abdominal aortic aneurysm are quite unusual. This report coneerns a ease denmonstrating both of these occurrences.