Ruptured Popliteal Artery Aneurysm

Abstract

A high index of suspicion for popliteal aneurysms must be present when evaluating a popliteal mass. Though typically pulsatile, in the presence of chronic thrombosis, the absence of a pulse may make the diagnosis even more difficult. A case is presented that illustrates this point, where an 83-year-old man presents following the biopsy of what turned out to be a very large popliteal aneurysm. In the presence of chronic thrombosis and adequate collateral flow, decompression and ligation of any feeding vessels is typically sufficient. These patients must be followed lifelong for the development of other associated aneurysms.