Introducción. La rotura crónica contenida de un aneurisma de aorta abdominal infrarrenal es una forma de presentación poco frecuente. Más aún lo es el tratamiento de esta entidad de forma endovascular. Caso clínico. Varón de 70 años trasladado desde otro centro hospitalario, donde estaba ingresado por nefrolitiasis, por presentar dolor lumbar crónico exacerbado en las últimas 24 horas, con estabilidad hemodinámica. Se trataba de un paciente fumador, con enfermedad pulmonar obstructiva grave, enolismo importante y hepatopatía crónica. La tomografia computarizada (TC) toraco-abdominopélvica mostró la presencia de un aneurisma de aorta abdominal infrarrenal con rotura contenida en el retroperitoneo. Dada la estabilidad hemodinámica del paciente y sus patologías asociadas se valoró realizar una exclusión endovascular ya que las características anatómicas del aneurisma así lo permitían. 16 horas después del ingreso, el paciente fue intervenido y se le practicó dicha exclusión, sin incidencias peroperatorias. El paciente fue dado de alta el 5.° día postoperatorio, asintomático, con el procedimiento permeable y ausencia de endofugas en la TC de control. A los nueve meses de seguimiento, el paciente permanece sin cambios. Conclusiones. La rotura crónica contenida de un aneurisma de aorta abdominal supone un riesgo vital evidente, que obliga a un tratamiento urgente-preferente, con una mortalidad del 15 al 20%. La posibilidad de que este tratamiento sea endovascular depende del estado de salud del paciente, de que el aneurisma tenga unas características anatómicas favorables y de la disponibilidad de un stock de endoprótesis, un quirófano radiológico y personal entrenado en la reparación endovascular electiva de aneurismas. [ANGIOLOGÍA 2005; 57: 247-52]
Introduction. Chronic contained rupture of an aneurysm in the infrarenal abdominal aorta is an infrequent presenting symptom; yet, treatment of this condition by endovascular means is even rarer. Case report. We studied the case of a 70-year-old male who was transferred from another hospital, where he had been admitted due to nephrolithiasis, because of chronic lower back pain that had exacerbated in the previous 24hours, although the patient displayed haemodynamic stability. This patient was a smoker, with severe obstructive pulmonary disease, advanced alcoholism and chronic liver disease. A CAT scan of the thorax-abdomen-pelvis revealed the presence of an infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm with a contained rupture in the retroperitoneum. Given the patient's haemodynamic stability and his associated pathologies, the decision was made to perform an endovascular exclusion, since the anatomical characteristics of the aneurysm favoured such an intervention. The patient was submitted to surgery 16hours after admission to perform the above-mentioned exclusion, and no intraoperative incidences were recorded. The patient was discharged from hospital five days after the operation, free of symptoms, and the control CAT scan showed that the procedure remained patent and free of endoleaks. Nine months after the intervention no changes have taken place in the patient. Conclusions. The chronic contained rupture of an abdominal aortic aneurysm is clearly a life-threatening situation that requires urgent-preferential treatment and has a mortality rate of between 15% and 20%. The chances of applying endovascular treatment depend on a number of factors including the patient's state of health and whether the aneurysm has favourable anatomical characteristics or not. Other essential factors are the availability of resources such as a stock of stents, a radiological operating theatre and staff with suitable training in the elective endovascular repair of aneurysms. [ANGIOLOGÍA 2005; 57: 247-52]
