This report describes a greater saphenous venous aneurysm associated with ascending thrombophlebitis and presenting as a painful groin mass in a middle-aged male. Isolated venous aneurysms are an uncommon clinical entity and the presentation described herein appears unique. Definitive diagnosis was accomplished with noninvasive, duplex ultrasound imaging. Anticoagulation followed by surgical resection of the aneurysm provided symptomatic relief and satisfactory cosmesis and eliminated the risk of thromboembolism. Proposed etiologies and classification schemes, histologic features of, natural history, and clinical approaches to venous aneurysms are discussed with reference to existing literature.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
1. Lippert KM, Frederick LD Jr: A sacculated aneurysm of the saphenous vein. Ann Surg134:924-926, 1951.
2.
2. Schatz IJ, Fine G: Venous aneurysms. N Engl J Med266:1310-1312, 1962.
3.
3. Yasumoto M, Shibuya H, Goto Y, et al: Primary saphenous venous aneurysms presenting in a child. Clin Nucl Med12:29-30, 1987.
4.
4. Pearce WH, Winchester DJ, Yao JST: Venous aneurysms. In: Aneurysms: New Findings and Treatments, ed. by Yao JST, Pearce WH. New Haven, CT: Appleton & Lange, 1994, pp 379-388.
5.
5. Sproul G: Venous aneurysm: A rare cause of reducible inguinal mass in infancy. Surgery58:1027-1030, 1965.
8. Lindenauer SM: Treatment of venous aneurysms. In: Current Therapy in Vascular Surgery, ed. 2, ed. by Ernst CB, Stanley JC. Philadelphia: BC Decker Inc, 1991, pp 1019-1021.
9.
9. Abbott OA, Leigh TF: Aneurysmal dilatations of the superior vena caval system. Ann Surg159:858-871, 1964.
10.
10. Leonsins AJ, Siew S: Fusiform aneurysmal dilatation of the portal vein. Postgrad Med J36:570-574, 1960.
11.
11. Hurwitz RL, Gelabert H: Thrombosed iliac venous aneurysm: A rare cause of lower extremity venous obstruction. J Vasc Surg9:822-824, 1989.
12.
12. Lev M, Saphir O: Endophlebohypertrophy and phlebosclerosis I. The popliteal vein. Arch Pathol51:154-178, 1951.
13.
13. Lev M, Saphir O: Endophlebohypertrophy and phlebosclerosis II. The external and common iliac veins. Arch Pathol51:401-411, 1951.
14.
14. Zamboni P, Cossu A, Carpanese L, et al: The so-called primary venous aneurysms. Phlebology5:45-50, 1990.
15.
15. Ramadan F, Johnson G Jr: Primary lesser saphenous vein aneurysm in a child. J Pediatr Surg26:738-740, 1991.
16.
16. Thomas TV: Aneurysm of the portal vein: Report of two cases, one resulting in thrombosis and spontaneous rupture. Surgery61:550-555, 1967.
17.
17. Yokomise H, Nakayama S, Aota M, et al: Systemic venous aneurysms. Ann Thorac Surg50:460-462, 1990.
18.
18. Taira A, Hachinen A: Ruptured venous aneurysm of the persistent left superior vena cava. Angiology32:656-659, 1981.
