Popliteal arterial aneurysms. Their natural history and management
D. E. Szilagyi, R. L. Schwartz and D. J. Reddy
Eighty-seven popliteal aneurysms in 62 patients, of which 50 were treated
surgically, were reviewed and their clinical characteristics summarized.
The need for alertness in the clinical detection of these lesions was
stressed. Because complications, namely thrombosis and embolization, were
frequent (23% in the total group, 36% in the surgical group), we recommend
surgical treatment not only in all symptomatic but also in asymptomatic
aneurysms larger than 2 cm in diameter; nonsurgically treated cases must be
followed up carefully. With this aggressive approach, no lives and only two
limbs were lost (one in a case of irreversible gangrene of the foot). Of
the two surgical techniques described, the bypass procedure with autogenous
vein graft is, because of its simplicity, given preference over resection
with graft.
