Inferior mesenteric artery aneurysm. Case report

This paper reports a large inferior mesenteric artery aneurysm discovered incidentally during the work-up in a male patient with a thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm. Aortography disclosed an aneurysm in the inferior mesenteric artery with a large marginal artery which filled the branches of the coeliac and superior mesenteric arteries retrogradely. The thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm was reconstructed by a bifurcated aorto-biiliac Dacron graft while inferior mesenteric artery revascularisation was achieved with a PTFE graft, reconstruction being necessary because of its dominant blood supply to all of the viscera. This case highlights the importance of aneurysmal reconstruction when an anomalous arterial supply to the gastrointestinal tract from a dilated inferior mesenteric artery has been demonstrated on a preoperative angiogram.