Extension of contained rupture of an abdominal aortic aneurysm into a lumbar intervertebral disc

Chronic contained rupture of an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a rare event, making its diagnosis difficult. A delayed diagnosis and delayed surgical repair compromise the outcome. In this paper the authors report the case of a chronic contained rupture of an AAA causing spinal destruction, in which diagnosis was difficult because the lesion produced symptoms mimicking those of pyogenic spondylitis.