# Giant Cell Arteritis Causing Isolated Pulmonary Artery Aneurysm

## TL;DR

A rare case of a pulmonary artery aneurysm caused by giant cell arteritis is presented, highlighting the importance of early diagnosis and surgical treatment.

## Contribution

This case report presents a rare instance of giant cell arteritis causing an isolated pulmonary artery aneurysm.

## Key findings

- Giant cell arteritis can cause isolated pulmonary artery aneurysms.
- Surgical intervention may be preferable to immunosuppressive therapy in such cases.
- Prompt recognition is crucial to prevent serious complications.

## Abstract

Pulmonary artery aneurysm (PAA) is considered a rare finding, with an estimated incidence of 1 in 14,000.

We present a case of PAA caused by giant cell arteritis isolated to the pulmonary artery, in which surgical intervention followed by clinical monitoring was pursued over immunosuppressive therapy.

The etiology of PAAs is variable, with reported cases found to be secondary to malignancy, infection, congenital diseases, autoimmune diseases, and vasculitis. Of the reported cases for vasculitis, one of the rarer etiologies includes giant cell arteritis, an autoimmune vasculitis involving large and medium-sized vessels such as the temporal artery and aorta, and the great vessels.

This case highlights a rare vasculitic etiology of pulmonary artery aneurysm formation. Prompt recognition and surgical intervention may prevent serious complications, especially in aneurysms at unusual sites.