Endovascular treatment of popliteal artery aneurysm in a clinical analysis of 9 cases

Abstract

To evaluate the efficacy of endovascular repair of popliteal artery aneurysm (PAA) and to summarize the clinical experience and lessons. A clinical data of 9 PAA cases (males 8, females 1, age range 55-84) undergoing endovascular repair from October 2006 to December 2014 at Zhongshan Hospital Fudan University were retrospectively analyzed. CT angiography was made in all of the 9 cases preoperatively, and 10 PAA were included in the analysis. Of the 9 cases, 6 cases were symptomatic. The mean diameter of PAA was 3.9 cm (range, 2.1-8.2). The technique successful rate of endovascular repair was 10/10. The preoperative complications were 2/10, including one case suffered hematoma in the arterial puncture site and 1 case with distal artery embolization. The mean follow-up was 33 months (range, 3-87). During the follow-up, 2 cases received the secondary intervention and drug thrombolysis because of the stent distal thrombosis. The stent-graft primary patency at 1 year was 78.8% (95% CI: 48%-91%). One case suffered stent fracture, and one case died of brainstem hemorrhage 15 months post endovascular repair of PAA. Endovascular treatment of PAA is safe and effective in perioperative and midterm follow-up. However, individual endovascular strategy and postoperative complications in the long-term follow-up should be payed more attention.