Mycotic aneurysm of the aorta is a rare complication of bacterial endocarditis. It is invariably fatal without surgical excision. The successful treatment of this complication in a child with Staphylococcus aureus pancarditis is described. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a child in whom a mycotic aneurysm of the abdominal aorta was successfully managed by aneurysmectomy and ligation of aorta.
Report of a Case.—A 9-year-old girl was admitted to Ben Taub General Hospital, Houston, on Jan 16, 1979, with a one-week history of fever, malaise, headache, and leg pain. Her previous medical history included chronic atopic dermatitis involving the entire body surface and bronchial asthma since 5 months of age. Examination at admission revealed a moderately ill child with a rectal temperature of 38.5 °C, blood pressure of 105/80 mm Hg, heart rate of 140 beats per minute, respiratory rate of 25/min, and weight of 27