Inflammatory Aortic Aneurysms: Regression of Fibrosis after Aneurysm Surgery.

Objectives:To evaluate the fate of perianeurysmal fibrosis (PF) following aneurysm surgery.Methods:In this single centre study, pre- and postoperative abdominal CT-scans on 21 consecutive patients with inflammatory abdominal aortic aneurysms were compared. CT-scans of 10 randomly chosen patients operated on for abdominal aortic aneurysms without PF in the same period, served as reference group.Results:Preoperative thickness of PF was assessed as >1 cm in 11 and <1 cm in 10 patients. Ureterolysis was performed in seven patients where the fibrosis caused ureteral obstruction. Postoperative CT-scans performed at a median of 24 (range 3–108) months after surgery showed complete regression of the fibrosis in 29%, partial regression in 57% and no change in 14% of the patients. Progression of the fibrosis or persistence of hydronephrosis was not seen. No sign of fibrosis were seen in the 10 controls.Conclusion:This study supports the findings that PF tends to regress after repair of the abdominal aortic aneurysm