title: Femoral artery pseudoaneurysm and sudden death.
abstract: Pseudoaneurysm formation may be a late complication of vascular grafting. A case of sudden death in an 83-year-old woman with a previous aortobifemoral bypass graft is reported that was due to spontaneous hemorrhage from a pseudoaneurysm of the graft site that had eroded through the overlying skin and subcutaneous tissues. Pseudoaneuryms do not have to be of a particularly large size for rupture to occur. Social isolation and age-related cognitive impairment may delay treatment in older individuals resulting in a lethal outcome. The elderly are also more vulnerable to serious morbidity and death under these circumstances owing to significant underlying cardiovascular and respiratory disease and/or anticoagulant medication. Rarer conditions that may cause pseudoaneurysms include tumors and vasculidites. The possibility of an infectious contribution to the pseudoaneurysm should be considered and microbiological sampling undertaken.
authors.affiliation: Discipline of Pathology, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia.
authors.forename: Chong
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Neil E
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Langlois
authors.forename: Roger W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Byard
mesh_terms: D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical; D017541:Aneurysm, False / Q000473:pathology*; D001012:Aorta, Abdominal / Q000601:surgery; D001807:Blood Vessel Prosthesis / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003645:Death, Sudden / Q000209:etiology*; D058734:Exsanguination; D005260:Female; D005263:Femoral Artery / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D049429:Forensic Pathology; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D012883:Skin Ulcer / Q000473:pathology