Hiccups: an unusual manifestation of an abdominal aortic aneurysm.
A patient with hiccups was found to have an abdominal aortic aneurysm that subsequently ruptured. We believe that a leaking abdominal aortic aneurysm led to an ileus-induced distention of the splenic flexure of the colon with consequent diaphragmatic irritation and phrenic nerve stimulation. This led to persistent hiccups as a result of repetitive stimulation of the reflex arc mediating hiccups. Persistent hiccups require investigation for an underlying organic etiology, and a leaking abdominal aortic aneurysm should be included in the differential diagnosis.
D000368:Aged; D001012:Aorta, Abdominal; D001014:Aortic Aneurysm / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D006606:Hiccup / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male