Blood Flukes and Arterial Damage: A Review of Aneurysm Cases in Patients with Schistosomiasis

Figure 3

Aneurysms and schistosomiasis. Physiopathology behind portal branch aneurysm and splenic artery aneurysm formation. (1) Seeding of hepatic vessels by Schistosoma eggs may lead to inflammatory reaction in hepatic parenchyma, fibrosis, and direct damage to vessels. (2) Inflammatory reaction and portal fibrosis due to Schistosoma oviposition in hepatic vessels may lead to portal hypertension, which may induce aneurysms by hemodynamic mechanisms in visceral vessels. (3) Splenic artery aneurysm may be secondary to portal hypertension. (4) Schistosoma eggs may seed arterial wall through vasa vasorum, inducing direct damage and predisposing to aneurysm formation. Splenic a. = splenic artery. Figures 2 and 3 are original art work by the author V.S.