False aneurysm of the left femoral artery and thrombosis of the left femoral vein after total hip arthroplasty

Abstract

We report a 75-year-old male patient with an aneurysm of the left femoral artery after cemented total hip arthroplasty. Two months after the operation, the patient showed a spherical resistance and pain in the left groin. Examination showed a big false aneurysm of the left femoral artery. After resection of the aneurysm, an endovascular stent graft vessel prosthesis was implanted. The aneurysm originated from a punctual lesion of the artery caused by a screw. Since the first description of vessel lesions in orthopaedic surgery in 1964, a total of 24 cases of aneurysm in hip surgery have been described. Therefore, a review of literature tries to explain causes and mechanisms of vessel injuries in hip surgery and the possibilities of repair.