Abstract
Trauma, iatrogenic effects, arteriosclerosis, and infection may cause spontaneous rupture of the posterior tibial artery. If the patient with such a rupture is young and does not have a traumatic history, an inherited connective tissue disorders must be considereds. We present a case of a patient with rupture of the right posterior tibial artery caused by preexisting diagnosed vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. A 38-year-old woman with swelling of the right-lower leg was admitted to our hospital. A CT revealed a rupture of the right posterior tibial artery. We decided the rupture could not be repaired by endovascular treatment, because the rupture site was large. We therefore performed a surgical repair. Following a postoperative examination the patient was diagnosed with vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. In cases of vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, surgical repair should be avoided if possible because of the friability of the vessels. If patients with ruptures of the peripheral arteries do not have a traumatic history, arteriosclerosis, or infection, it is necessary to consider the possibility of an inherited connective tissue disorders.
