[Management of visceral artery aneurysms. Retrospective study of 23 cases].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate symptoms and results of the treatment of aneurysms of digestive arteries.


METHODS
Retrospective study of 23 patients (14 male and 9 female, mean age = 51 years) treated in two departments of academic hospital. We studied the aneurysms characteristics (location, number, size, etiology) the type of treatment, and occurrence of post-operative complications.


RESULTS
The aneurysms involved the splenic artery in 13 patients (56%), the superior mesenteric artery in 5 patients (22%), the hepatic artery in 3 patients (13%), the gastroepiploic artery in 2 patients (9%). There were thirty-one aneurysms (24 true aneurysms and 7 pseudo-aneurysms) in 23 patients. Diagnosis was mainly done by the CT-scan. An aneurysm rupture occurred in 7 patients (30%). Treatment was surgery for 26 aneurysms (84%) or a radiological embolization in 3; abstention was decided for 2 aneurysms (6%). No death was observed.


CONCLUSIONS
The bad prognosis after rupture, the lack of predictive factors of rupture combined with the good results of surgical treatment suggest to prefer a surgical treatment at first. Embolization could be reserved for the contra-indication of surgery and when aneurysms are poorly accessible to surgery.
Muscari
F
F
Service de chirurgie vasculaire, hôpital Purpan, place du Docteur-Baylac, 31059 Toulouse, France.
Barret
A
A
Chaufour
X
X
Bossavy
J P
JP
Bloom
E
E
Pradère
B
B
Gouzi
J L
JL
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000783:Aneurysm / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D017542:Aneurysm, Ruptured / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D004621:Embolization, Therapeutic; D005260:Female; D006499:Hepatic Artery / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008638:Mesenteric Arteries / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013157:Splenic Artery / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery