Abstract
Popliteal aneurysms constitute about 80% of peripheral aneurysms and tend to be bilateral, concomitant with other aneurysms. The typical type was true aneurysm caused by non-specific degeneration, and more than half of the patients were symptomatic. There is no established operative indication. We operated on 20 limbs in 18 patients. The mean age was 52 years old, ranging from 12-78 years old and with 3 patients younger than 30 years old. Men were 14 patients, and the left:right distribution was equal, except for 2 bilateral aneurysms. Aortic aneurysms were found in 2 patients simultaneously, one of who had ipsilateral femoral artery aneurysm. The mean aneurysmal diameter was 4.3 cm (1.6-5.5 cm).
Only two patients were asymptomatic. These were bilateral aneurysms, which were diagnosed by contrast enhanced computed tomography performed due to contralateral symptomatic aneurysm. The other 18 cases were symptomatic. The popliteal artery was occluded even 1.6 cm in diameter, and one patient required below-knee amputation because of foot necrosis due to embolism for several months. Because even small aneurysms cause acute arterial occlusion, aneurysmectomy and autogenous vein graft replacement should be performed soon after popliteal aneurysm was diagnosed.
