A CASE REPORT OF CHRONIC TRAUMATIC ANEURYSM OF THE THORACIC AORTA

We experienced a case of chronic traumatic aneurysm of the thoracic arota due to a traffic accident. This paper presents the case with a review of the relevant literature in Japan. A 26-years-old man was seen at the hospital because of an abnormal shadow on a chest X-ray film which was incidentally found 7 years after blunt trauma on the chest at the traffic accident. With contrast enhanced CT and angiography of the chest, the patient diagnosed as having a chronic traumatic aneurysm of the thoracic aorta. The patient was asymptomatic, but was operated on because of possible enlargement of the aneurysm and risk of rupture. Operative procedures included left posterolateral thoracotomy and grafting under partial extracorporeal circulation. Postoperative course was uneventful without particular complication. The patient was discharge from the hospital on the 18th hospital day. Chronic traumatic aneurysm of the thoracic aorata is a rare disease. If the disease is suspected from a blunt trauma on the chest, early diagnosis followed by surgical operation is essential.