Rare Case of Rupture of Undiagnosed Giant Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm

An abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a potentially fatal vascular condition that often remains asymptomatic until rupture. Incidence of AAA remains higher among the elderly population, with smoking, hypertension, atherosclerosis and old age being the prominent risk factors. This disease tends to occur predominantly in males, but there are cases involving females. A 56-year-old female presented with the sudden onset of back pain and breathlessness and was declared dead shortly after hospital admission. Autopsy revealed a giant AAA measuring 17 × 9 cm with rupture and retroperitoneal haemorrhage. AAAs are established as one of the major catastrophes in older age group individuals and are found in 4%–7% of males and 1% of females aged 50 and above. As per the available literature, the present case appears to be very unusual in nature, considering the fact that it is more prevalent in males and rupture of the abdominal aorta is present only in 10% cases. A giant abdominal aneurysm amounts to a very rare entity. This case highlights the importance of early detection of AAA, especially in patients presenting with nonspecific symptoms such as abdominal or back pain.