Abstract
A 62-year-old male patient suffering from abdominal aortic aneurysm developed acute occlusion of both iliac arteries due to embolism originating from large floating thrombi in the aneurysm. Shortly after successful thromboembolectomy in the left lower extremity, typical symptoms of DIC developed such as ecchymosis, a drastic decrease in platelet count, a decrease in fibrinogen level, and an increase in the fibrin degradiation product (FDP). These were successfully controlled within 3 weeks by gabexate mesilate (FOY⊗) and heparin. Then the aneurysm was radically operated using a prosthetic Y graft, under normal conditions of blood coagulation. When the aneurysm was opend, a large quantity of fresh and old coagula appeared occupying almost all of the space in the aneurysm lumen. This suggested the existance of a localized field of abnormal hypercoagulation and accelerated fibrinolysis. Although abdominal aortic aneurysms are rarely complicated by DIC, care must always be taken not to overlook this. DIC is one of the most serious risk factors in aortic aneurysms.
