A Rare Case of an Abdominal Aneurysm in a Patient with Lymphangioleiomyomatosis: A Case Report.

Introduction: Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) is a multisystemic disorder characterized by the proliferation, metastasis, and infiltration of smooth muscle cells in the lung and other tissues. Although LAM is rarely seen in men, it is usually detected in women during the third decade of life. Renal microaneurysms have been reported in patients with LAM, but abdominal aneurysms have not. We describe a patient with a diagnosis of LAM who had an unusual aneurysm in the inferior pancreaticoduodenal artery.

Case Presentation: A 47-year-old Ecuadorian woman self-referred for a routine visit to her family physician. She had a history of allergy to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, pneumothorax, bilateral pleurodesis, and LAM since 2007. For her annual follow-up, an ultrasonogram was recommended. The abdominal ultrasonographic report described "a mass with blood flow in the midabdomen." An abdominal computed tomography angiogram was performed and revealed a 2.6-cm aneurysm of the inferior pancreaticoduodenal artery. After diagnosis of arterial aneurysm, she underwent transcatheter arterial embolization and stent placement. She is currently healthy and carries out her activities normally.

Discussion: Lymphangioleiomyomatosis is a rare lung disease of unknown etiology. Extrapulmonary manifestations include abdominal aneurysm. This type of lesion should be added to a search for aneurysms in all patients with LAM.