title: Aortic aneurysm and orchitis due to Wegener's granulomatosis.
abstract: We present a patient with Wegener's granulomatosis (WG) with involvement of the abdominal aorta, testis, peripheral nerve system, and skin. A 51-year-old man presented at our outpatient clinic with lower back pain. He had a history of smoking, hypertension, and an embryonal carcinoma of the left testis, treated 13 years ago with orchidectomy and chemotherapy. One month earlier, he underwent a partial orchidectomy of the right testis due to testicular swelling. Abdominal computed tomography showed a 3.8 cm wide aneurysm of the distal part of the aorta with inflammation. One week later he was admitted to the hospital with numbness of his hands and feet. Physical examination showed signs of peripheral microemboli. Serological laboratory tests revealed elevated antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody titers with positive reactions against proteinase-3, indicating Wegener's disease. The chest X-ray was normal. Pathological examination of the right testis showed necrotizing vasculitis of a small artery. He was treated with cyclophosphamide and prednisolone. WG with extrapulmonary involvement occurs infrequently, and reports of manifestations of WG in aorta, testis, the peripheral nerve system, and skin are even more uncommon. Small- and medium-vessel vasculitis can precede large-vessel vasculitis or occur in the absence of small-vessel involvement. Therefore, WG should be included in the work-up of large-vessel vasculitis, which can give rise to periaortic inflammation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Vascular Surgery, Onze Lieve Vrouwe Gasthuis, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Minnee
authors.forename: G E L
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: van den Berk
authors.forename: J O
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Groeneveld
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: van Dijk
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Turkcan
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Visser
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Vahl
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017544:Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D001027:Aortography / Q000379:methods; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D014890:Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D006987:Hypesthesia / Q000209:etiology; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009920:Orchitis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D020551:Pulse Therapy, Drug; D013737:Testis / Q000473:pathology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D011239:Prednisolone