title: Mycotic aneurysm of the superior mesenteric artery in a young woman.
abstract: Aneurysm of the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) is rare. We, in this study, present the case of a 21-year-old woman with a history of heroin abuse who was admitted to our hospital for infective endocarditis complicated by floating vegetation at the posterior mitral valve. After receiving 2-week antibiotic treatment, the patient had acute abdominal pain. Computed tomography demonstrated an aneurysm at the SMA. The mycotic aneurysm was resected and the mitral valve was repaired successfully. This report reviews the pathophysiology of mycotic aneurysms of the SMA and role of computed tomography in the differential diagnosis of this condition from acute mesenteric ischaemia.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taipei, Taiwan. pchu@adm.cgmh.org.tw
authors.forename: P-H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.forename: H-C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: She
authors.forename: K-E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: J-J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Chu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000785:Aneurysm, Infected / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000601:surgery; D004452:Echocardiography; D004697:Endocarditis, Bacterial / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006556:Heroin Dependence / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D017538:Mesenteric Artery, Superior / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000601:surgery; D008943:Mitral Valve / Q000382:microbiology; D008944:Mitral Valve Insufficiency / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000601:surgery; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed