Mycotic aneurysm of the descending aorta diagnosed by echocardiography.

We present a 3-yr-old girl with coarctation of aorta and patent ductus arteriosus in whom mycotic aneurysm and bacterial endarteritis developed postoperatively and was diagnosed by two-dimensional and Doppler echocardiography. Five weeks after the operation of ligation of ductus and resection of coarctated segment, the patient was readmitted with complaints of vomiting, fever and coughing. Bacterial endarteritis, empyema and septic arthritis were diagnosed. Suprasternal echocardiographic examination demonstrated an aneurysmatic appearance 60 x 65 mm in size at the location of coarctation. The patient died, most probably due to aortic rupture, before surgical treatment could be undertaken. Autopsy study confirmed our diagnosis.