Luetic aortopathy: Revisited

Abstract

We report a case of 38-year-old male, who presented with a large pulsatile swelling on the left side of the anterior chest wall of 4 months’ duration with a gradual increase in size. He gave history of sexual promiscuity in the form of unprotected sexual intercourse prior to his marriage in his early 20s. He also gave a history of ulceration on coronal sulcus of glans penis 20 years back with painless right inguinal mass. His blood serology was strongly positive for syphilis and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg); however, serology for retroviral infection was negative. Computed tomography–angiography confirmed the pulsatile swelling as aneurysm of the arch of and ascending aorta. In view of the history, positive serology, and imaging studies, we concluded the aortic aneurysm to be of syphilitic origin. We report this case due to its extreme rarity in the present antibiotic era.

Surgery for Ascending Aortic Aneurysm and Aortic Valve Insufficiency in Conditions of Active Proceeding Syphilitic Aortitis and Valvulitis

“…Cardiovascular complications of tertiary stage include four categories: (1) uncomplicated syphilitic aortitis, (2) syphilitic aortic aneurysm (ascending aorta -50%, the aortic arch -10%-15%, the rest -other aortic segments), (3) syphilitic aortic valvulitis with aortic regurgitation (in case of ascending aorta involving), and (4) syphilitic coronary ostial stenosis. 2,7) Syphilitic myocarditis presents a separate group of late syphilitic lesions. 2) Late syphilitic cardiovascular complications are difficult to be diagnosed since microbial infection is often lacking.…”

Idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy as cor bovinum in infancy: “A foggy road in winter”

“…However, this feature is also found in the hugely enlarged heart or Cor Bovinum of DCM. Cor Bovinum in old literary terms referred to the presence of huge cardiomegaly in the syphilitic heart [6] with severe aortic regurgitation with a tamboor quality early diastolic rumble. The presence of this type of huge cardiomegaly always needs to rule out the presence of pericardial effusion.…”

Syphilitic aneurysm - A case report

“…Aneurysm is the most common form of presentation in these cases. [1–4] We describe a case of cardiovascular syphilis with aneurysm of aorta.…”