Aorta ; Aortitis ; Cardiac Surgical Procedures ; Humans ; Immunosuppression ; Takayasu Arteritis/drug therapy*

Noninfectious aortitis, inflammatory abdominal periaortitis, and idiopathic retroperitoneal fibrosis are chronic inflammatory diseases with unclear causes. Recent studies have shown that some cases of aortitis are associated with immunoglobulin G4 (IgG4)-related systemic disease. Herein, we report a case of IgG4-related aortitis (IgG4-RA) that was diagnosed after surgery. Our patient was a 46-year-old man who had experienced abdominal pain for several weeks. Preoperative evaluations revealed an area of aortitis on the infrarenal aorta. He underwent surgery, and histological examination resulted in a diagnosis of IgG4-RA.
Abdominal Pain ; Aorta ; Aorta, Abdominal ; Aortitis ; Arteritis ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Immunoglobulins ; Middle Aged ; Retroperitoneal Fibrosis

Cogan syndrome is a rare inflammatory disease characterized by intraocular inflammation and vestibulo-auditory dysfunction. The exact etiology of Cogan syndrome is still unknown, but is currently thought to be an autoimmune disease. Cogan syndrome can be accompanied with various conditions including fever, arthritis, skin rash, aortitis, central or peripheral nerve system involvement, lymphadenopathy, splenomegaly and diarrhea. We report a case of Cogan syndrome accompanied with meningitis.
Aortitis ; Arthritis ; Autoimmune Diseases ; Cogan Syndrome ; Diarrhea ; Exanthema ; Fever ; Inflammation ; Lymphatic Diseases ; Meningitis ; Peripheral Nerves ; Splenomegaly ; Vasculitis

Positron emission tomography (PET) /computed tomography (CT) has been established as a standard imaging modality in the evaluation of malignancy. Although PET/CT has played a major role in the management of oncology patients, its clinical use has also increased for various disorders other than malignancy. Growing evidence shows that PET/CT images have many advantages in aortic disease as well. This review article addresses the potential role of PET/CT in diseases involving the aorta, emphasizing its usefulness with regard to acute thoracic aortic syndromes, aortic aneurysm, atherosclerotic lesions, aortitis and aortic tumors.
Aneurysm ; Aorta ; Aortic Aneurysm ; Aortic Diseases* ; Aortitis ; Atherosclerosis ; Humans ; Positron-Emission Tomography ; Positron-Emission Tomography and Computed Tomography*

Here we describe a case of rapidly expanding ascending aortic aneurysm in a patient with relapsing polychondritis. To prevent aneurysm rupture, the patient underwent emergent surgical repair. Silent inflammation can progress in the aorta wall, even in asymptomatic patients with mild disease activity under immunosuppressive treatment, leading to the rapid growth of aortic aneurysms. Close monitoring with routine imaging is needed once a patient with relapsing polychondritis is diagnosed with an aortic aneurysm.
Aneurysm ; Aorta ; Aortic Aneurysm* ; Aortitis ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Polychondritis, Relapsing* ; Rupture

BACKGROUND: The advantages of using a homograft in valve replacement surgery are the excellent hemodynamic profile, low risk of thromboembolism, and low risk of prosthetic valve infection. The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term outcomes of homograft implantation in the aortic valve position. METHODS: This is a retrospective study of 33 patients (>20 years old) who underwent aortic valve replacement or root replacement with homografts between April 1995 and May 2015. Valves were collected within 24 hours from explanted hearts of heart transplant recipients (<60 years) and organ donors who were not suitable for heart transplantation. The median follow-up duration was 35.6 months (range, 0 to 168 months). RESULTS: Aortic homografts were used in all patients. The 30-day mortality rate was 9.1%. The 1- and 5-year survival rates were 80.0%±7.3% and 60.8%±10.1%, respectively. The 1-, 5-, and 10-year freedom from reoperation rates were 92.3%±5.2%, 68.9%±10.2%, and 50.3%±13.6%, respectively. The 1-, 5-, and 10-year freedom from significant aortic dysfunction rates were 91.7%±8.0%, 41.7%±14.2%, and 25.0%±12.5%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Homografts had the advantages of a good hemodynamic profile and low risk of thromboembolic events, and with good outcomes in cases of aortitis.
Allografts* ; Aortic Valve* ; Aortitis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Freedom ; Heart ; Heart Transplantation ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Mortality ; Reoperation ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate ; Thromboembolism ; Tissue Donors ; Transplant Recipients

A 21-year-old woman with a history of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) was admitted with dyspnea on exertion for a year. A transesophageal echocardiogram showed dilated aortic root with intimal thickening. A positron emission tomography/computed tomography demonstrated increase in glucose hypermetabolic along the walls of the aortic valve, ascending aorta, aortic arch, and aorta, vasculitis was observed. She underwent the Bentall operation due to inflammation at sinus of right coronary cusp. She started high dose glucocorticoid after the operation. Currently she is able to sustain with low dose steroid after gradually tapered. Her symptoms were disappeared, and inflammatory markers decreased to within the normal range. Aortitis and aortic aneurysms are an uncommon manifestation of SLE. Furthermore, almost of lupus patients with medium and large vessel vasculitis are not biopsied or studied histologically. We present first case in Korea that was a 21-year-old woman who diagnosed with lupus aortitis by pathology after aortic valve replacement operation.
Aorta ; Aorta, Thoracic ; Aortic Aneurysm ; Aortic Valve ; Aortitis* ; Dyspnea ; Electrons ; Female ; Glucose ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Korea ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic* ; Pathology ; Reference Values ; Vasculitis ; Young Adult

Aortic complications of giant cell arteritis are a rare cause of abdominal aortic aneurysm. Here, we describe a case of a ruptured aortic aneurysm in a patient with giant call arteritis (GCA) who was preoperatively suspected of having an infectious aortic aneurysm. Intraoperative inspection revealed infectious granulation tissue on the anterior wall of the abdominal aorta. GCA was finally confirmed by pathological diagnosis. Our findings suggest that the surgical and postoperative treatment of nonatheromatous aortic aneurysm should be based on accurate diagnosis.
Aorta, Abdominal ; Aortic Aneurysm ; Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal* ; Aortic Rupture ; Aortitis ; Arteritis ; Diagnosis ; Giant Cell Arteritis* ; Giant Cells* ; Granulation Tissue ; Humans

A 38-year-old man was admitted to the hospital because of abrupt left flank pain. He had no fever and physical examination revealed tenderness of the left costovertebral angle. Laboratory data revealed white blood cell 16,060/microL, C-reactive protein 0.93 mg/dL. Urinalysis showed more than 1/2 red cells per high-power field with severe proteinuria (4+). Enhanced computed tomography (CT) showed the thickened abdominal aorta wall with partial thrombus. The thickened aorta wall compressed the left renal vein and it caused left renal vein thrombosis. Abdominal CT findings suggested aortitis of the abdominal aorta with complication of left renal vein. We could exclude other types of aortitis including autoimmune aortitis, Takayasu's arteritis, giant cell arteritis, and infectious causes based on a serologic test and the history of the patient. Therefore, the patient was diagnosed with idiopathic aortitis and treated with glucocorticoid. After treatment, his symptoms disappeared and a follow-up CT showed decreased mural thickening of the abdominal aorta. Isolated idiopathic aortitis presented with renal vein thrombosis is extremely rare and has not been reported in Korea yet. We present a rare case report on idiopathic aortitis of the abdominal aorta with complication of left renal vein thrombosis.
Adult ; Aorta ; Aorta, Abdominal ; Aortitis* ; C-Reactive Protein ; Fever ; Flank Pain ; Follow-Up Studies ; Giant Cell Arteritis ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Korea ; Leukocytes ; Physical Examination ; Proteinuria ; Renal Veins* ; Serologic Tests ; Takayasu Arteritis ; Thrombosis* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Urinalysis

Cogan's syndrome is a rare chronic inflammatory disease Characterized by non-syphilitic keratitis and vestibuloauditory dysfunction. Although the precise pathogenesis of Cogan's syndrome is unknown, it is thought to develop from vasculitis involving multiple organ system. It can be accompanied with various systemic diseases including arthritis, lymphadenopathy, splenomegaly, and aortitis with insufficiency. We report a case of typical Cogan's syndrome with multiple cerebral infarctions.
Aortitis ; Arthritis ; Cerebral Infarction ; Cogan Syndrome ; Keratitis ; Lymphatic Diseases ; Splenomegaly ; Vasculitis