Bodhey, NKGupta, AKNeelakandhan, KSUnnikrishnan, M2012-12-042012-12-042005EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF CARDIO-THORACIC SURGERY. 28; 3; 499-501http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ejcts.2005.05.028http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ejcts.2005.05.028https://dspace.sctimst.ac.in/handle/123456789/396Six patients with luetic aneurysm of the ascending aorta eroding the sternum are presented. The erosion was an early and principal presentation and the site of erosion and location and morphology of aneurysm were identical in all six patients. The erosion mainly affected the right half of the manubrium and medial end of right clavicle. The aneurysms arose from the junction of the ascending and transverse arches of the thoracic aorta and had narrow opening close to the origin of the innominate artery. The identical presentation, aetiology, angiographic location and morphology, corroborated further at surgery, suggests that syphilitic aneurysms in this location have a strong tendency to cause early sternal erosion. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery