Positive Clinical Outcomes of The Saphenous Vein Interposition Technique for Ruptured Popliteal Artery Aneurysm

Abstract

Popliteal artery aneurysms (PAAs) can be treated successfully by surgical and endovascular methods; however, the best treatment strategy for a ruptured PAA has yet to be established. We assessed the clinical results of using saphenous vein interposition to treat ruptured PAAs in our hospital.

The subjects of this study were seven men (average age 59 years, range 43-71 years), who underwent emergency surgery for a ruptured PAA at our hospital between January 2007 and November 2012. The patients were assessed after 1, 6, and 12 months, postoperatively.

All included patients underwent saphenous vein graft interposition via a medial approach. No complications or graft thromboses were encountered in the immediate postoperative period. The patients were discharged after an average of 4 days postoperatively (range 3-5 days). The patients were followed up for an average of 32 months (range 2-60 months). The medium-term graft patency was 100 %. No patients suffered early or medium-term limb loss and there was no mortality.

Based on our positive results, saphenous vein graft interposition should be considered as the first choice of surgical treatment for a ruptured PAA.