Objective:To investigate the surgical treatment for patients with popliteal artery aneurysm (PAA).
Methods:The clinical data of 9 patients with popliteal artery aneurysm admitted to our department from 2004 to 2010 were retrospectively analyzed.
Results:Nine patients (6 males and 3 females) with average age was 53.8 years. Of the patients, 2 cases had bilateral PAAs (one of which coexisted with bilateral iliac artery aneurysms), 4 cases had left and 3 cases had right PAAs. One patient had asymptomatic PAA and 8 cases had symptomatic PAAs that presented with pulsating mass in 2 cases, a mass with local pain in 3 cases, and chronic and acute lower extremity ischemia in one and two cases, respectively. Seven patients underwent surgical repair and the other 2 patients received non-surgical treatment (one of which underwent surgery of bilateral iliac artery aneurysms initially). Aneurysm resection and eFTFE graft or autologous saphenous vein interposition was performed in the operated patients. Follow-up of 0.5 month to 6 years was available in 8 patients. Symptoms of the affected limbs were obviously ameliorated, and pulsating masses and limb pain were disappearred after operation. The dorsalis pedis artery could be palpated in all cases.
Conclusions:Atherosclerosis is the main cause of PAA. Early elective surgical repair is suggested for symptomatic PAA or asymptomatic PAA with diameter larger than 2 cm, and is especially indicated for thrombosed PAAs. There is no significant difference between eFTFE and autologous saphenous vein graft in short-term and long-term patency.