Case report of an unusual combination of purulent pericarditis and false aneurysm of the ascending aorta

BACKGROUND: Purulent pericarditis is an uncommon entity, which is, in very rare cases, associated to infection of the aorta. CASE PRESENTATION: We present the case of a 42-year-old male patient, who was admitted to hospital complaining of tiredness, diarrhea and leg edema. Clinical examination revealed a hypotensive and obviously shocked patient. He was ultimately diagnosed with a rare combination of purulent pericarditis followed by false aneurysm of the ascending aorta. He was successfully treated by surgical pericardial drainage, replacement of the ascending aorta and antibiotics. CONCLUSION: Mycotic aneurysms can rarely be associated with purulent pericarditis. Our literature review shows that there are two mechanisms explaining this association and that in most of the published cases infective endocarditis could not be demonstrated.