Celiac artery aneurysms: A case report and review of the literature

Celiac artery aneurysms (CAA) are uncommon. Most are asymptomatic, but up to 20 per cent will present as surgical emergencies. We present a case of an asymptomatic CAA discovered in a 56-year-old male during evaluation for nephrolithiasis. Only rough estimates of the prevalence of CAA are available, ranging between 0.005 per cent and 0.05 per cent. There appears to be a slight male predominance, and atherosclerotic degeneration is the most common cause. Although most patients are asymptomatic, some will present with vague abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, or symptoms of mesenteric ischemia. Rupture is a devastating presentation, with reported mortality rates from 35 per cent to 80 per cent. Repair is performed by ligation or reconstruction. Ligation should be considered in an urgent setting, with reconstruction preferred for elective repair. Morbidity and mortality from elective repair should not exceed 5 per cent. Repair of CAA should be undertaken unless major comorbid factors are prohibitive.