Fibromuscular dysplasia as a cause of abdominal aortic aneurysm

A 53-year-old woman presented with abdominal discomfort and was diagnosed using ultrasonography to have an abdominal aortic aneurysm. Aortography revealed a saccular aneurysm 4 cm in diameter of the infrarenal aorta with a 'string of beads' appearance. The renal and other visceral arteries appeared to be normal. Resection and graft replacement was performed because of the possibility of rupture. Histological examination of the specimen revealed the most common type of fibromuscular dysplasia, namely medial fibroplasia. Fibromuscular dysplasia should be considered as a potential cause of abdominal aortic aneurysm in female patients with no atherosclerosis risk factors.