True and false aneurysms of the femoral artery

True aneurysms of the femoral artery are uncommon. They are most often identified in elderly males and are frequently associated with aneurysms at other locations. Femoral artery aneurysms that are symptomatic or larger than 2.5 cm should be repaired in order to prevent limb-threatening complications, such as rupture, thrombosis, or embolization. Open repair is the standard method of treatment and should be preceded by evaluation for coexisting aortoiliac or popliteal aneurysms, assessment of superficial femoral artery patency, and determination of the point of origin of the deep femoral artery relative to the aneurysm sac. Femoral artery pseudoaneurysms are most often seen in the setting of previous femoral artery catheterization but may also be associated with trauma, anastomotic leakage, or infection. The majority of femoral pseudoaneurysms less than 3 cm in diameter will spontaneously thrombose and may be observed with serial duplex ultrasound exams in asymptomatic patients. Symptomatic pseudoaneurysms, pseudoaneurysms with a diameter greater than 3 cm, and those found in patients who are anticoagulated should usually be treated. Ultrasound-guided thrombin injection is our preferred method for treating femoral pseudoaneurysm because of its low risk, high success rate, and efficacy in the setting of anticoagulation. Ultrasound-guided compression is an alternative method that may be considered when thrombin products are contraindicated. Open pseudoaneurysm repair should be undertaken in the setting of infection, rapid expansion, or if less-invasive methods are not technically feasible.     

Surgical treatment of femoral artery infected false aneurysms in drug abusers

BACKGROUND: Post-traumatic femoral artery infected false aneurysms (pfa-IFA) in drug abusers are very common in modern societies, but their surgical management remains controversial. METHODS: A review was undertaken of the English-language literature between 1967 and 2004 for relevant articles describing at least four cases of pfa-IFA in drug-addict populations. The available surgical treatment options are discussed. RESULTS: Recent surgical therapeutic reports favour aneurysm ligation and excision (Lig-Exc) and local debridement (Ld) with observation-selective (delayed) revascularization in cases where limb viability is threatened, or Lig-Exc and Ld alone without vascular reconstruction. The former method carries the risk of delayed decision on attempted extremity salvage (12.1% amputation rate), accepting early (13.5%) and late (7.5%) claudication rate, and although the latter method has much lower early and late amputation rates (5.7 and 6.3%, respectively), it results in a high percentage of claudication and disability (early, 54.4%; late, 44.3%). Immediate (routine) revascularization using either in situ or extra-anatomic bypass has also been associated with high complication rates. Even when it occurs through non-infected tissue planes, the risk of graft infection (early, 21.1%; late, 32.4%) is of great concern, and the possibility of sepsis (together with anastomotic dehiscence (14%) and even amputation) is high (early, 9.8%; late, 11.3%). Reversing the order of revascularization produces zero early complication rates, but long-term follow up reveals that 5.5% of patients have graft infection and 5.5% have had amputation. The follow up rates reported in the literature are poor (only 31.7% completed), and are also sometimes inaccurate. CONCLUSIONS: No surgical treatment for pfa-IFA has been proved to be safe in terms of the overall surgical complications. Longer follow-up periods are needed to provide accurate results.     

Degenerative aneurysms of the superficial femoral artery.

PURPOSE: To review the pathogenesis, diagnosis, presentation, diagnosis, management and outcomes (morbidity and mortality) of superficial femoral artery aneurysms. METHODS: A comprehensive review of this entity was performed based on the available literature in all languages and a detailed discussion of our findings is also provided. RESULTS: Our review identified 61 cases of SFA aneurysms. They were most often seen in elderly men, predominately affected the right lower extremity, and were most often located in the middle-third of the artery. At the time of diagnosis, SFA aneurysms were frequently symptomatic because they reached a relative large diameter before the diagnosis was made. The most frequent presentation was localized pain in association with a pulsatile mass. In contrast to popliteal aneurysms, SFA aneurysms more frequently present with rupture than distal ischemia. Angiography was by far the most commonly utilized diagnostic tool. Treatment was primarily by means of an interposition graft, followed by exclusion and surgical bypass. Endovascular repair of SFA aneurysms has only been reported in three instances. SFA aneurysm repair was most often associated with favorable outcomes, with low reported rates of ischemia and limb loss.     

感染性假性股动脉瘤61例治疗分析

目的 探讨动脉瘤切除和动脉结扎治疗创伤后感染性假性股动脉瘤的作用。方法回顾性分析2001年1月至2006年12月中山大学附属第一医院收治的62例因吸毒致创伤后感染性假性股动脉瘤的治疗经过。采用腹股沟韧带上方切口,经腹膜后控制髂外动脉,并在动脉瘤远端暴露股浅动脉,切除动脉瘤,局部清创和血管结扎。结果无术后死亡,无术后大出血及截肢。平均随访32个月（3个月至4年）,2例有轻度的间歇性跛行。结论 创伤后感染性假性股动脉瘤须紧急手术治疗。动脉瘤切除、动脉结扎和彻底的局部清创治疗创伤后感染性假性股动脉瘤安全、有效,且手术操作相对简单。     

Iatrogenic femoral artery aneurysms in orthopaedic practice

BACKGROUND: Iatrogenic injury to the femoral vessel is a rare complication after fracture of hip. Pseudoaneurysm formation of superficial femoral artery or profunda femoris artery is detected quite late. We present our experience for surgical management of pseudoaneurysm of femoral artery after iatrogenic trauma during management of fracture of femur. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was carried out for eight patients with femoral artery pseudoaneurysm treated surgically during the last 10 years in one surgical unit. RESULTS: Of eight patients with pseudoaneurysm of femoral artery, six had superficial femoral artery aneurysm and two profunda femoris artery aneurysm. Mean duration for presentation was 4 months (range 2-6 months). Methods of surgical intervention were direct closure of arterial defect after aneurysmectomy in six cases and use of saphenous vein patch graft for repair of artery in two cases. Mean size of aneurysm was 12 x 7 cm (range 8 x 4 cm to 20 x 12 cm). All patients were doing well during a mean follow up of 72 months (range 6-110 months). CONCLUSION: Large pseudoaneurysms of femoral arteries after iatrogenic injury during management of fractures of femur should be managed by aneurysmectomy and arterial repair with or without saphenous vein patch graft.     

感染性股动脉假性动脉瘤手术治疗及伤口处理：附16例分析

目的:探讨感染性股动脉假性动脉瘤治疗的手术方式,以及评估封闭负压辅助闭合(VAC)装置在治疗感染伤口的作用和应用价值。方法:回顾性分析2015年7月—2018年4月行手术治疗的16例感染性股动脉假性动脉瘤患者的临床资料。结果:16例患者术中破损动脉直接缝合破口5例,自体静脉修补6例,自体静脉置换3例,2例行动脉瘤切除局部旷置。患者手术伤口术后均经VAC装置引流治疗;伤口二期直接缝合12例,行皮瓣移植4例,伤口愈合时间平均34.2 d。术后13例患者获随访6个月,除1例伤口再次破溃接受清创治疗之外,其余12例患者伤口均无再次感染或破溃,所有随访患者动脉瘤均未复发。结论:感染性股动脉假性动脉瘤应尽早手术清创治疗;VAC装置治疗感染性伤口安全、有效。     

False aneurysms of the femoral artery: a challenge in management.

Forty patients with aneurysms of the femoral arteries were evaluated. Thirty had 34 false aneurysms and 23 were secondary to disruption of the suture line of a graft-to-artery anastomosis. All the false aneurysms were found in association with a synthetic material used as a bypass or arterial substitute. No direct relationship was found between the suture material and the incidence of anastomotic aneurysms in this series. Infection associated with the development of a false aneurysm was followed by a high incidence of amputation. Various techniques of repair have been used to restore the flow and preserve the viability of the limb. Recommendations are made to decrease the incidence of this complication.     

Incidence of femoral and popliteal artery aneurysms in patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence of femoral and popliteal aneurysms in men and women who have abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) and to assess potential etiologic differences in patients with and without these lower extremity aneurysms. METHODS: We studied 313 consecutive patients with AAAs encountered from 1995 to 1998 who underwent prospective ultrasound scanning to detect the presence or absence of femoral and popliteal aneurysms. Patients with and without these extremity aneurysms were compared for differences in potential etiologic risk factors with each other and with a statewide population of patients with AAAs. RESULTS: A total of 51 femoral and popliteal aneurysms were encountered, all occurring in male patients. Among the 251 men with AAAs, the incidence of femoral or popliteal aneurysms was 14%, compared with 0% among the 62 women with AAAs (P <.01). A family history of aneurysmal disease was present in only one (3%) of the 36 men with these extremity arterial aneurysms, a significant finding (P <.01) when compared with the family history that was positive for aneurysmal disease in 14 women (23%). Peripheral arterial occlusive disease affected 14 (39%) of the 36 men with peripheral arterial aneurysms versus 20 (9%) of the 215 men without these aneurysms (P <.01). Most other etiologic variables studied proved not to be different among the various groups of patients examined. CONCLUSION: The incidence of femoral and popliteal aneurysms in persons with AAAs appears higher than that noted previously. Femoral and popliteal aneurysmal disease preferentially affects men; however, the basis for this sex difference is unknown. Few common etiologic factors differed between men with and without these extremity aneurysms. Most femoral and popliteal artery aneurysms in this study were undetectable on physical examination, suggesting that ultrasound scanning is appropriate in the recognition of peripheral aneurysms among men with AAAs.     

The changing face of femoral artery false aneurysms.

OBJECTIVES: To review the aetiology and method of treatment of all femoral artery false aneurysms from a single centre during the last 9 years. DESIGN: Retrospective case-note study. METHODS: All patients with a diagnosis of false aneurysm were identified from the hospital data-base between January 1995 and September 2003. A manual search of the case-notes was performed, and data collected on the location, cause and method of repair of the false aneurysm. For all patients with a diagnosis of femoral artery false aneurysm, the patients' medical and drug history and admission time attributable to the false aneurysm were recorded. RESULTS: One hundred and seven patients were identified. Seventy-nine had false aneurysms of the femoral artery. The majority (40.5%) were caused by coronary angiography, the second commonest cause being breakdown of previous graft anastomosis (29.1%). Over time, the method of treatment became increasingly radiological (most commonly ultrasound-guided thrombin injection), resulting in a significantly reduced hospital admission time (P=0.018). CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of femoral artery false aneurysms appears to be increasing. This is largely a result of an increase in the number of cardiac interventional and diagnostic procedures performed. The introduction of ultrasound-guided thrombin-injection has reduced the inpatient stay of patients with femoral false aneurysms.     

Anastomotic aneurysms after vascular reconstruction: problems of incidence, etiology, and treatment.

To gain a better understanding of the pathogenesis, natural history, therapeutic response, and the potential of prevention of anastomotic aneurysms in general and those following aortofemoral interventions in particular, we have reviewed 4,214 reconstructive vascular operations performed in the past 15 years during which procedures (prosthetic bypass, autogenous vein graft, and endarteriectomy) of fairly uniform technical details have been used. Among these operations representing 9,561 anastomotic sites, we encountered 205 anastomic aneurysms, a per site incidence of 1.7 percent. By far the most common site of occurrence was the femoral artery following Dacron bypass procedures, with a per site incidence of 3.0 percent. The lowest rate of incidence was observed after endarteriectomies, regardless of anatomic location (0.4 percent). The most frequent causative factor was found to be structural deficiency of the parent artery, which accounted for 30.7 percent of the aneurysmal lesions. Other etiological agents, in order of importance, were arterial hypertension, mechanical stress, defect of the graft material, and noninfective healing complications. The therapeutic approach was an aggressive one and only patients with prohibitive operative risks were treated conservatively. In the elective surgical cases the rate of good results was 81.6 percent, with no operative deaths.     

下肢动脉主干结扎治疗毒品注射所致股动脉假性动脉瘤

目的探讨注射毒品所致股动脉假性动脉瘤的合理外科治疗方式。方法对中山大学附属第一医院2001年6月至2004年5月收治的18例注射毒品所致股动脉假性动脉瘤进行分析，均行下肢动脉主干血管结扎及瘤体清创术，其中2例术后行动脉造影。术中见破裂口长约0．5～3．5cm，5例位于股浅动脉，13例位于股总动脉或股动脉分叉。结果术后无一例出现严重下肢动脉缺血，2例经动脉造影证实瘤体周围有良好的侧支循环。结论血管结扎并瘤体切除是治疗吸毒性股动脉假性动脉瘤的合理手术方式。     

A rare case of multiple atherosclerotic aneurysms involving the femoral artery

Atherosclerotic aneurysm of the deep femoral artery is a rare peripheral aneurysm that is likely to have associated aortoiliac aneurysms. The case of a patient who had five atherosclerotic aneurysms located in the abdominal aorta, bilateral common iliac arteries, and the left common femoral and deep femoral arteries is reported. He underwent a semi-emergency operation for the aneurysm of the deep femoral artery, followed by a two-stage operation for the aortoiliac aneurysms. The aneurysm of the deep femoral artery was repaired, and reconstruction of the distal deep femoral artery successfully performed with direct anastomosis to the superficial artery. In this report, the clinical presentation of multiple atherosclerotic aneurysms and the details of surgical reconstruction are described. Copyright © 1996 The International Society for Cardiovascular Surgery.     

Diagnosis and treatment of subclavian artery aneurysms

The diagnostic features and operative results in 13 patients with subclavian artery aneurysms were analysed. Symptoms related to subclavian artery aneurysms were present in seven patients, whereas six patients were asymptomatic and the aneurysm was discovered incidentally on chest X-ray. Angiography was the most valuable diagnostic examination and was also necessary in planning the operation. A correct preoperative diagnosis was made in five of six patients with computed tomography. Resection of the aneurysm was performed in nine and aneurysmal exclusion in the latest four patients. Direct reconstruction was used in nine and in four cases an extra-anatomic carotico-subclavian bypass was performed. Postoperative complications arose in two symptomatic and in four asymptomatic patients (46%: two strokes, two wound infections demanding extirpation of the prosthesis in one patient, two pareses of the recurrent nerve and one postoperative haemorrhage). Operative mortality was one patient. Follow-up data was available for all patients for periods of 6 months to 14 years. The vascular graft was patent in all patients. The authors conclude that subclavian artery aneurysm must be included in the differential diagnosis of all obscure upper mediastinal masses as seen on the chest X-ray and examined with CT and angiography. Exclusion of the aneurysm with extra-anatomical reconstruction is technically easier and gives the same postoperative long-term results as resection of the aneurysm and direct reconstruction. A relatively high complication rate after operation on asymptomatic subclavian aneurysms indicates a need for re-evaluation of operative indications in asymptomatic patients.     

23例锁骨下动脉瘤的诊治经验

目的总结和探讨锁骨下动脉瘤的诊断和治疗方法。方法1990年1月至2006年8月诊治锁骨下动脉瘤23例,其中真性动脉瘤10例,假性动脉瘤13例。男15例,女8例,年龄16-68岁,平均26．8岁。病因包括：创伤性12例,动脉硬化性5例,感染性1例,动脉炎性2例,病因不清3例。合并动脉瘤破裂2例,动脉栓塞1例、外伤性动静脉瘘2例。本组行外科手术16例,采用锁骨上、下或开胸入路,15例重建锁骨下动脉,1例结扎;行腔内隔绝术3例;保守治疗4例。结果本组无手术死亡;重建的锁骨下动脉通畅率为100％;有1例因动脉炎出现吻合口假性动脉瘤,其余无复发。结论外科手术治疗锁骨下动脉瘤是很困难的,正确切口入路的选择是确保手术成功避免并发症的关键。腔内修复术治疗操作简单,但并不能完全替代外科手术,其远期疗效尚待观察。     

内脏动脉瘤的外科治疗

目的 探讨内脏动脉瘤的外科治疗方法。方法 回顾性分析2002年2月至2010年6月收治的19例内脏动脉瘤患者外科治疗的临床资料,包括脾动脉瘤7例、肝右动脉瘤1例、胃左动脉瘤1例、胰十二指肠动脉瘤3例、胃十二指肠动脉瘤2例、肠系膜上动脉瘤、结肠中动脉瘤和左结肠动脉瘤各1例、肾动脉瘤2例。其中破裂12例。按照手术方式分为两组,介入栓塞治疗组13例,开放手术组6例。结果 4例栓塞后再出血,2例行手术探查止血、2例行二次栓塞后都得以成功止血。8例动脉瘤破裂伴休克患者术后均停止出血。1例胰十二指肠动脉瘤栓塞后出现十二指肠不全梗阻。2例脾动脉瘤患者术后出现部分脾梗死。术后随访18例,随访2 ～ 103个月,无动脉瘤复发。结论 以支配脏器和动脉解剖的特点作为内脏动脉瘤选择手术方案的主要依据。腔内治疗和开放手术在治疗内脏动脉瘤方面均有效,而对于假性动脉瘤破裂患者,腔内治疗效果满意。     

内脏动脉瘤手术治疗临床分析

目的 总结内脏动脉瘤(VAAs)的诊断与治疗经验.方法 2003年6月至2008年12月共收治8例VAAs;男性2例,女性6例;年龄30～72岁,平均49岁.8例患者共有9个动脉瘤,包括脾动脉瘤4例,肠系膜上动脉瘤2例,肾动脉瘤2例(3个).均经彩色超声、CTA或DSA明确诊断.6例行经腹动脉瘤切除,其中3例行血管重建.1例伴门静脉高压患者,行脾动脉瘤切除、脾切除和脾肾静脉分流术.1例双侧肾动脉瘤患者,左肾动脉瘤较大,且接近肾门,行动脉瘤切除和肾摘除术,右肾动脉瘤直径1.2 cm,密切随访.2例经股动脉行动脉瘤栓塞治疗.结果 本组8例VAAs患者,无论是动脉瘤切除、两端动脉结扎;还是端端吻合,人工血管间置血流重建;以及经股动脉病灶栓塞治疗,多取得了满意的效果.没有死亡和严重并发症发生.随访2～60个月,平均26.5个月,效果良好.结论 VAAs一旦明确诊断,应积极采取治疗措施.选择性手术或栓塞术足安全和有效的治疗方法.直径<2 cm且无症状的VAAs可考虑密切随访.