Ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm causing obstructive jaundice

Expanding abdominal aortic aneurysms have been reported to produce compression of several vital abdominal structures. A 67-year-old man who developed common bile duct obstruction with jaundice from a contained rupture of an abdominal aortic aneurysm is presented. Diagnosis was made preoperatively with the aid of several modern radiographic techniques. This case illustrates an additional consideration in the differential diagnosis of extrahepatic biliary tract obstruction-expanding or ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm.