Low-Back Pain Revealing an Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm in a 15-Year-Old Girl: A Case Report

JBJS Case Connect. 2021 Feb 17;11(1). doi: 10.2106/JBJS.CC.20.00240.

Abstract

Case: An abdominal aortic aneurysm is rarely seen in children. We report the case of a 15-year-old girl who presented with lower back pain in a subfebrile setting with moderate biological inflammatory syndrome. Imaging assessment, including a spinal magnetic resonance imaging, had shown no evidence of spondylodiscitis or other spinal or renal pathology. Ten days later, she presented in hemorrhagic shock and was found to have a ruptured infected aneurysm of the abdominal aorta.

Conclusions: This case reminds us to include an aneurysm in the differential diagnosis of lower back pain, even in children.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Aorta, Abdominal / diagnostic imaging
  • Aorta, Abdominal / pathology
  • Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal* / complications
  • Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal* / diagnostic imaging
  • Child
  • Discitis*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Low Back Pain* / etiology
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging