Aortitis presenting as Buerger's disease

Buerger's disease is frequently diagnosed in young smokers, based on clinical presentation rather than histologic criteria. This report describes a young male with idiopathic aortitis who had been managed for 10 years as Buerger's disease solely on the basis of clinical manifestations. This case emphasizes the need for establishing histopathologic, and perhaps biochemical, criteria to identify the underlying arteriopathy.