Ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms presenting as radicular compression syndromes.

Two patients are described: one with an aneurysm of the infrarenal aorta and common iliac artery that ruptured posteriorly into the iliac vein, the other with an aneurysm of the distal abdominal aorta that ruptured posteriorly into the iliopsoas muscle. Both patients had symptoms compatible with a radicular compression syndrome. Ruptured aneurysm of one of the major abdominal arteries should be considered in the differential diagnosis of affections of the lumbosacral neural outflow, because immediate operation can be life-saving.