Isolated Iliac Artery Aneurysms Research Articles

ISOLATED ANEURYSMS OF THE ILIAC ARTERY

Isolated aneurysmal dilatation of the iliac artery is a rare abnormality, and its incidence is considered to be less than 5% of abdominal aortic aneurysm. During the past 10 years, the authors experienced three cases of isolated iliac artery aneurysm in which surgical treatment was successfully performed. All the patients were men, aged 57, 61 and 82 years. The site of the aneurysmal lesion was in the bilateral common and internal iliac arteries in one case and in the unilateral common iliac artery in two cases. Although no aneurysm in our series ruptured, one patient underwent an emergency laparotomy under the suspicion of the impending rupture because of a sudden onset of severe abdominal pain. Isolated aneurysms of the iliac artery have a propensity to rupture; rupture occurred in 37% of 49 cases reported in Japan, including our three cases. The operative mortality rate for ruptured aneurysms remains high; the mortality with emergency surgery was reported as 44.4%. Judging from our experience and the results in the literature, surgery should be performed promptly, if no associated systemic complications exist as contraindicative risk factors.

Posttraumatic Dissection of the Iliac and Femoral Arteries

The following article describes a case of posttraumatic iliac artery dissection that extended into the femoral artery. The incidence of isolated iliac artery aneurysms is discussed, as well as complications and treatment of these rare entities.