Surgery for Saccular Popliteal Venous Aneurysm Causing Acute Pulmonary Embolism—A Case Report—

Abstract

Popliteal venous aneurysm (PVA) is rare and causes fatal acute pulmonary embolism. A 70-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital for palpitation and shortness of breath on exertion. A computed tomography scan revealed multiple pulmonary artery emboli and right saccular PVA (20 mm diameter × 6 cm length) with a thrombus. She was immediately started on thrombolytic therapy ; the thrombus in the saccular PVA disappeared. She was followed up with novel oral anticoagulants (NOACs) for anticoagulation therapy. The thrombus in the PVA recurred (5 months after the onset of acute pulmonary embolism) and we recommended surgical treatment. Lateral tangential aneurysmectomy and lateral venorrhaphy for the saccular PVA were performed. No postoperative complications occurred, and she was discharged on the 9th postoperative day. She was followed up with NOACs for anticoagulation therapy and use of compression stockings. At the seven months after surgery, no recurrence of PVA was seen. Surgical treatment of symptomatic PVA is a safe and useful strategy.