Mycotic aortic aneurysm in a patient with Tolosa-Hunt syndrome

Mycotic aneurysms have been associated with many clinical conditions. A tender pulsatile abdominal mass in association with fever, chills, and unrelenting back pain is suggestive of a leaking mycotic aneurysm. However, the extracranial manifestations of Tolosa-Hunt syndrome (THS) may mimic several of these symptoms. We report the case of a woman who was successfully treated with high-dose steroids for THS. Two months later, she was admitted to another hospital with rigors and unremitting back and abdominal pain. CT-guided aspiration of an L5-S1 paravertebral mass was done. The aspirate and blood cultures grew Staphylococcus aureus. Intravenous antibiotics and analgesics were administered with good relief. A month after discharge from that hospital, she was admitted to our hospital with classic signs and symptoms of a leaking mycotic aneurysm. She was treated surgically and has remained asymptomatic for 21 months. Tolosa-Hunt syndrome associated with mycotic aortic aneurysms has not been previously reported.