Popliteal Vein Aneurysm: A Case Report

Abstract

Introduction —Although popliteal vein aneurysms are the most common of all venous aneurysms, they are exceedingly rare. In fact, there have only been approximately 150 reported cases to present. We present a case of a popliteal vein aneurysm found in a patient with right lower-extremity symptoms. Patient Description —A 51-year-old woman presented with right lower-extremity pain and swelling and was evaluated for deep venous thrombosis via venous duplex ultrasound. Methods —Venous duplex ultrasound of the bilateral lower extremities was performed upon presentation to an outside hospital and again after referral to our vascular surgery service. Results —Original duplex as well as repeat after referral to our vascular surgery service were found to be negative for deep venous thrombosis but revealed a 2.7 by 2.1-cm fusiform popliteal vein aneurysm on the right (symptomatic) side. Discussion —Although many venous aneurysms are clinically insignificant, popliteal vein aneurysms present a poorly characterized risk for pulmonary embolism (some estimates are as high as 70–80%), which can be potentially fatal. Therefore, surgical repair is generally warranted, especially in cases in which the diameter is greater than 2.0–2.5 cm, as in this case. Our patient, however, declined surgical intervention despite this information. Thus, in addition to presenting our case as well as mentioning standard surgical techniques, we will briefly comment herein on the limited nonsurgical treatment options for popliteal venous aneurysms found in the literature.