Nocardia asteroides-infected aneurysm of the aorta: case report and review of the literature.
Infected aneurysms of the aorta were first described as a result of septic emboli or contiguous spread from bacterial endocarditis and are usually caused by Staphylococcus or Salmonella species. We report a case of Nocardia-associated infected aneurysm of the native suprarenal aorta in an immunocompromised host. Surgical management consisted of placement of an interposition cryopreserved aortic homograft. Nocardia asteroides was identified on a microbiology specimen of the aorta and both microbiology and pathology specimens of the splenic tissue. To the best of our knowledge, this represents the first carefully documented, unique case of a Nocardia-infected aneurysm treated with homograft interposition. In addition, pathologic and microbiologic data are included from the postmortem examination 10 months later.
Gates
Jonathan D
JD
Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. jgates@partners.org
Warth
James A
JA
McGowan
Katherine
K
D000785:Aneurysm, Infected / Q000382:microbiology / Q000601:surgery*; D001014:Aortic Aneurysm / Q000382:microbiology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D008875:Middle Aged; D009617:Nocardia Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology / Q000601:surgery; D009616:Nocardia asteroides; D009894:Opportunistic Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology / Q000601:surgery