Full Blown Cardiovascular Syphilis with Aneurysm of the Innominate Artery

The investigators report the case of a 44-year-old man who presented acutely and was found to have saccular aneurysm of the innominate artery, narrowed or totally occluded aortic arch arteries, and marked thickening of the thoracic aorta except for the wall behind the sinuses of Valsalva. The abdomi...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The American journal of cardiology 2009-12, Vol.104 (11), p.1595-1600
Main Authors: Roberts, William Clifford, MD, Lensing, Forrester Dubus, MD, Kourlis, Harry, MD, Ko, Jong Mi, BA, Newberry, Jonathan Warren, MD, Smerud, Michael John, MD, Burton, Elizabeth C., MD, Hebeler, Robert Frederick, MD
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Aneurysm, Dissecting - diagnosis
Aneurysm, Dissecting - microbiology
Aneurysm, Dissecting - surgery
Aneurysms
Bacterial diseases
Bacterial diseases of the genital system
Biological and medical sciences
Blood and lymphatic vessels
Brachiocephalic Trunk - microbiology
Cardiology
Cardiology. Vascular system
Cardiovascular
Coronary vessels
Diseases of the peripheral vessels. Diseases of the vena cava. Miscellaneous
Epidemiology. Vaccinations
Fatal Outcome
General aspects
Human bacterial diseases
Humans
Infectious diseases
Male
Medical sciences
Mens health
Miscellaneous
Patients
Syphilis
Syphilis Serodiagnosis
Syphilis, Cardiovascular - complications
Syphilis, Cardiovascular - diagnosis
Syphilis, Cardiovascular - surgery
Vascular Surgical Procedures
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Description
Summary:The investigators report the case of a 44-year-old man who presented acutely and was found to have saccular aneurysm of the innominate artery, narrowed or totally occluded aortic arch arteries, and marked thickening of the thoracic aorta except for the wall behind the sinuses of Valsalva. The abdominal aorta was entirely normal. Results of the serologic test for syphilis were strongly positive. Because cardiovascular syphilis appears to be a disease that affects the vasa vasora and because these channels are limited to the thoracic aorta, the abdominal aorta is uninvolved, as demonstrated so nicely in the patient described in this case report. Because most patients with cardiovascular syphilis are much older than the patient described, it is unusual to see a perfectly normal abdominal aorta, as in the present patient. In conclusion, syphilis producing aneurysm of the innominate artery is unusual but is always associated with syphilitic involvement of the thoracic aorta.
ISSN:0002-9149
1879-1913
DOI:10.1016/j.amjcard.2009.06.070