Our Clinical Experience with Popliteal Artery Aneurysms: Surgical Correction with Posterior Approach Can Be the Best Alternative

Objective: Popliteal artery aneurysms (PAA) are the most frequent type of peripheral artery aneurysms. The main surgical aim and timing of PAA in symptomatic patients has a crucial role for saving limb and decreasing amputation rates. In this study, we aimed to investigate the results of the patients diagnosed with PAA, and had a surgical correction with the posterior approach. Material and Methods: A total of 11 patients (8 men and 3 women) were enrolled in this study. All patients admitted with complaints of feeling numbness and cold beside intermittent claudication in their extremity, and the diagnosis was confirmed with Doppler ultrasonography and computerized tomography angiography. Results: The mean age of the patients was 50.7 (34-68) years, and the mean aneurysm diameter was 3.6 cm. Four patients were operated under emergency conditions because of thrombosis. The others were operated under elective conditions. All surgical corrections were made by posterior approach. A polytetrafluoroethylene graft was used in 6 patients, and a venous graft was used in 5 patients. Patients were discharged from the hospital uneventfully on postoperative 7th day under oral warfarin sodium treatment. On postoperative first and third month follow-up with Doppler ultrasonography, the flow parameters were normal in popliteal and distal pedal arteries. No wound healing or infection problems were observed. Conclusion: Treatment should be individualized by evaluating the patient"s comorbidities and aneurysm conformation. Surgical treatment of aneurysm by posterior approach can be performed with low morbidity rates. Endovascular treatment, however, is described as a possible alternative in suitable cases.