Life-Threatening Surgery for Mycotic Aneurysm.

Infected aneurysm (or mycotic aneurysm) is defined as an infectious disease of the wall of an artery with formation of a blind, saccular out-pouching that is contiguous with the arterial lumen. Symptoms are frequently absent or nonspecific during the early stages. Once clinically presented, infected aneurysms are often at an advanced stage of development and associated with complications such as rupture. Nontreatment or delayed treatment of infected aneurysms has a poor outcome, with high morbidity and mortality rate via fulminant sepsis or hemorrhage. In clinically suspected cases, computed tomography is used for diagnosis. Urgent surgery, performed to prevent aortic rupture carries high morbidity and mortality rates.