[Aneurysm of the popliteal artery. A case contribution of a 15-year surgical experience]

Abstract

This retrospective study involves 45 patients operated in the years 1980-1994 for popliteal artery aneurysms with a posterior approach. The number of aneurysms is 60 because 15 were bilateral; 18 patients presented a polianeurysmatic involvement of the arterial tree. In 14 cases the intervention were performed on asymptomatic patients, in 46 cases the patients were symptomatic for ischemic disease. The reconstructive interventions were performed on 58 cases and only in 2 cases the medial approach to popliteal vessel were preferred on the basis of the great dimension of the aneurysms which involved also the superficial femoral artery. PTFE grafts were adopted in 33 cases, saphenous vein in 19 cases and Dacron grafts in 5 cases. We had no perioperative mortality and 4 patients died for causes not correlated to the intervention. We had perioperative complication in the group of asymptomatic patients. In the group of symptomatic patients 5 underwent a major amputation. The global patency of these grafts is 86% after 10 years. The posterior approach to the popliteal vessels has the advantage of a better view of the aneurysmatic mass and the anatomic structures and it permits a direct end graft. This graft is usually shorter than in the case of the medial approach and cannot be compressed by the aneurysmatic mass.