Case report
Deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolus associated with a ruptured popliteal aneurysm – a cautionary note
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* Corresponding author: Mike H Lewis mike.lewis@pr-tr.wales.nhs.uk
Department of Surgery, Royal Glamorgan Hospital, Llantrisant, Wales, UK
World Journal of Emergency Surgery 2007, 2:34 doi:10.1186/1749-7922-2-34
Published: 20 December 2007Abstract
Popliteal artery aneurysms representing 80% of peripheral artery aneurysms rarely rupture (a reported incidence of 0.1–2.8 %) and second commonest in frequency after aorto-iliac aneurysms. They usually present with pain, swelling, occlusion or distal embolisation and can cause diagnostic difficulties. We report a 78 year old man who was previously admitted to hospital with a pulmonary embolus secondary to deep venous thrombosis. He was heparinized then warfarinised and was readmitted with a ruptured popliteal aneurysm leading to a large pseudo aneurysm formation. The pulmonary embolus had been due to popliteal vein thrombosis and propagation of the clot. A thorough review of literature identified only one previously reported case of ruptured popliteal artery aneurysm and subsequent large pseudo aneurysm formation. We feel it is important to exclude a popliteal aneurysm in a patient with DVT. This may be more common than the published literature suggests.