Ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm in a young male patient, a rare case report

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is commonly a disease of the elderly population with an atherosclerotic aorta. We present a rare case scenario of a large ruptured AAA in a young patient.

A 32-year-old man presented to the Emergency Department with abdominal pain. On examination he had hypotension with a severely tender abdomen. Imaging revealed a ruptured 10 cm abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). He underwent an emergency open aneurysm repair and was discharged well on post-operative day 12. Apart from smoking, he had no known significant risk factors contributing to an AAA of such size. Clinical features and family history suggested a possible underlying connective tissue disorder.

A painful abdomen and hypotension in a young patient should prompt investigations to rule out a rare but life-threatening diagnosis of a ruptured AAA.

A possible underlying connective tissue disorder should be investigated for in any young patient presenting with an AAA.