[Pathogenesis and size development of infected saccular aneurysms--an animal experiment study]

Both femoral arteries of 56 Wistar rats were intersected and re-anastomosed by microsurgical technique. 24 anastomoses were performed under aseptic conditions and 88 were contaminated with a standard suspension of staphylococcus aureus. All the contaminated anastomoses which had remained patent developed true saccular aneurysms that reached their maximum volume during the acute period of infection between the 10th and 50th postoperative day. None of the anastomoses performed under aseptic conditions developed an aneurysm. This experiment represents an animal model for the reproduction of true saccular aneurysms of the arterial wall. It may help to investigate the etiology of arterial aneurysm formation.