Ruptured abdominal aneurysm subsequent to cystic medial necrosis: a case report

The majority of abdominal aortic aneurysms are the result of atherosclerosis. Cystic medial necrosis is a pathologic finding classically associated with thoracic aortic dissection, particularly in patients with Marfan's syndrome. The presence of cystic medial necrosis in other segments of the aorta or its branches is unusual. We report a case of a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm in a 38-year-old woman without Marfan's syndrome.