Adventitial Cystic Disease of the Femoral Vein: Report of a Case

Adventitial cystic disease (ACD) of the veins is a rare phenomenon, and ACD of the femoral vein is particularly difficult to diagnose due to the similarity in symptoms to those of deep vein thrombosis. We report a case of ACD of the femoral vein, which was initially misdiagnosed as deep vein thrombosis, in a 48-year-old woman who presented with a painless swelling in her right lower leg. The extensive cystic involvement of the femoral vein was completely resected and reconstructed with an 8-mm ringed polytetrafluoroethylene vascular graft with good results.     

Adventitial Cystic Disease of the Axillary Artery

Adventitial cystic disease (ACD) is an extremely rare cause of arterial and venous insufficiency, with only 317 reported cases in the world literature. These lesions have been previously described in the popliteal fossa, external iliac artery, and distal brachial, radial, and ulnar arteries as well as in the proximal saphenous vein at the ankle. We describe here the first reported case of this disease in a proximal vessel, the axillary artery. A 33-year-old man was evaluated for upper extremity arterial insufficiency and was diagnosed with ACD on the basis of physical examination and radiographic findings, which was confirmed by pathological assessment. The patient was treated by excision of the lesion and interposition vein bypass. As this represents the first case of ACD in the proximal vasculature, it demonstrates that these lesions can occur in axial blood vessels.     

Adventitial cystic disease of the popliteal artery treated by bypass graft utilizing the short saphenous vein: A case report

IntroductionAdventitial cystic disease is relatively rare vascular disease, frequently occurred in the popliteal artery. No definitive treatment has been established yet.Prentation of caseA 53-year-old woman presenting intermittent claudication of the right leg was diagnosed as adventitial cystic disease of popliteal artery. Percutaneous balloon dilation yielded an immediate recurrence. The disease was successfully treated by bypass grafting utilizing the short saphenous vein to replace the part of the popliteal artery containing the adventitial cyst. No postoperative complication was found six months after surgery.DiscussionComparing to a great saphenous vein, a short saphenous vein as a material of bypass graft has a significant advantage, as only a single surgical field is necessary.ConclusionWe propose that bypass graft surgery employing a short saphenous vein is worth considering as a treatment of adventitial cystic disease at the popliteal artery.     

Adventitial cystic disease of the femoral vein in a 5-year-old boy mimicking deep venous thrombosis

Adventitial cystic disease of the vein is a rare vascular anomaly with 32 reported cases. A 5-year-old boy initially presented with painless leg swelling. He was misdiagnosed with deep vein thrombosis and treated with 3 months of warfarin. When swelling failed to improve, a magnetic resonance venogram showed a mural cystic lesion of the left common femoral vein. In the operating room, the cyst was excised, relieving the obstructive effect and restoring flow. The swelling resolved within days. This is the first reported case of adventitial cystic disease of the vein occurring in a pediatric patient.     

Popliteal vein pseudoaneurysm: a case report

This is a case report of an athletic, middle-aged man with a remote history of penetrating right leg trauma who developed a pulmonary embolism, thrombosis of the popliteal vein, a mass in the popliteal fossa, and acute ischemia of the right lower leg. At operation a thrombosed pseudoaneurysm was found arising from a defect in the popliteal vein with extrinsic compression of the popliteal artery. The defect was patched with autogenous vein and the long-term result was excellent. Pseudoaneurysm of the popliteal vein is a previously unreported entity. Popliteal venous aneurysms usually begin with phlebitic or pulmonary thromboembolic manifestations and present a diagnostic challenge. Venous aneurysms in general are uncommon pathologic entities with a diverse etiology; the current etiologic concepts and classification are briefly discussed in the text. A new differential diagnosis for masses in the popliteal fossa is introduced by this report.     

Combined arteriovenous fistula and venous aneurysm following knee arthrodesis

We study a case of a 65-year-old woman who developed popliteal arteriovenous fistula (AVF) and venous aneurysm following left knee arthrodesis. Presenting features included left popliteal and calf pain, a tender pulsatile mass posterior to her left knee, popliteal bruit and a thrill at the popliteal fossa and ankle. Left femoral angiography showed an AVF arising from the right tibioperoneal trunk and an aneurysm at the level of the AVF. Findings at open investigation included AVF between the tibioperoneal trunk and the popliteal vein, and a venous aneurysm arising from the popliteal vein opposite the neck of the arteriovenous communication. The aneurysm and fistula were repaired using prolene suture.     

Interposition grafting of popliteal artery cystic adventitial disease: case report

Cystic adventitial disease of the popliteal artery is a rare cause of leg claudication occurring primarily in young adults. We report a case of a 41-year-old athletic man who presented with rapidly progressive left leg claudication. Using duplex ultrasound and magnetic resonance angiography, a diagnosis of popliteal artery cystic adventitial disease was made. The cystic popliteal artery was resected and replaced using a prosthetic interposition graft. At the 1.5-year follow-up, the cysts have recurred; however, the related symptoms have not. This is in contrast to a previously reported case of interposition saphenous vein grafting requiring resection due to invasion by recurrent cysts within 6 months.     

Chronic lower leg swelling caused by isolated popliteal venous entrapment

Isolated popliteal vein entrapment is a rare pathologic condition. Mimicking any venous pathology, a high degree of suspicion is mandatory for diagnosis. We describe a case of a 50-year-old woman, suffering from excessive swelling and heaviness of her left leg for more than 15 years. The ascending venography at functional positions of the feet demonstrated the entrapment. A rich collateral venous network appeared in the popliteal area at plantar foot's flexion. Surgical division of a wide soleus aponeurosis decompressed the vein. At the 2-year follow-up, the patient remains free of recurrence.     

DUPLEX ULTRASOUND ASSESSMENT OF THE VENOUS STATUS OF THE SWOLLEN LEG

Between January 1991 and December 1993, duplex ultrasound characterization of venous disease in leg swelling was studied in 214 patients (261 limbs; 167 unilateral and 47 bilateral). All patients were examined with a duplex scanner, the superficial and deep venous systems were evaluated for the presence of thrombus and valvular incompetence. Of the 261 limbs, 29 (11.1%) had deep venous thrombosis, 14 (5.4%) had superficial venous thrombosis, 66 (25.3%) had deep venous incompetence (31/66 limbs also had superficial venous incompetence), 65 (24.9%) had incompetence in the superficial veins only. and five (1.9%) had deep venous obstruction resulting from a popliteal cyst or a popliteal vein ligation. Eighty-two limbs (31.4%) had no evidence of venous obstruction or incompetence at the areas evaluated. This study showed that venous obstruction and valvular incompetence had occurred in two-thirds of swollen legs examined. Some of the venous obstructions resulted from surgically treatable diseases such as a popliteal cyst, and some of the venous disorders involved the superficial venous system only. Complete venous evaluation with duplex imaging can be very helpful in the determination of the underlying cause of the swelling.     

A case of unilateral lower limb swelling secondary to a ganglion cyst.

INTRODUCTION: We present a case of leg swelling of unusual aetiology which serves as a reminder to the surgeon to consider causes of leg swelling other than lymphoedema and venous insufficiency. CASE REPORT: A 40 year old man developed progressive left leg swelling despite treatment of his varicose veins. Subsequent investigation revealed a lesion compressing the femoral vein. At exploration this was found to be a ganglion cyst. Removal of this resulted in resolution of the swelling. DISCUSSION: Venous compression due to external cystic lesions, although rare, is recognised. This case serves as a reminder that the rarer causes of limb swelling should not be forgotten, especially where potentially treatable.     

Die zystische Adventitiadegeneration der Venen

Cystic adventitial degeneration of veins is a very rare disease, particularly in women. In proportion to cases involving arteries, it occurs approximately 20 times less frequently. Histologic findings reveal genuine ganglia in the adventitia, which often are also connected by a branch to the joint capsule. Relatively speaking, the most frequent site is the common femoral vein, but sporadically it also develops in the popliteal vein or in superficial veins. In the large guide veins, the disease becomes apparent through swelling of the entire leg without weight bearing and a feeling of congestion. Dermatological alterations as seen in cases of chronic venous stasis syndrome have not been reported in the literature. The diagnosis is made by B-scan and color-coded duplex sonography, which demonstrates cystic formation in the venous wall and the ensuing narrowing of the vessel. In cases of more pronounced stenosis, respiratory modulation of the Doppler signals is lost. Ascending phlebography exhibits a typical pelotte-form compression effect. As a rule, computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging is performed preoperatively. Surgical strategy consists in removal of the cyst within the adventitia. When sclerotic alterations in other wall layers are suspected, consideration can be given to venous patch plasty. This procedure results in complete recovery, but cases of relapse have been reported in the literature. We report on a case of successful management.     

B-cell lymphoma related iliac vein occlusion treated by endovenous stent placement

Unilateral leg swelling is most often caused by deep vein thrombosis but other conditions may mimic this disorder. We describe the case of a patient with symptoms of unilateral lower extremity swelling caused by external compression of the iliac vein by a mass originating from the iliopsoas muscle. Initially this mass was diagnosed as an iliopsoas hematoma in a patient using anticoagulants. However, it proved to be B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Compression was relieved by placement of an endovenous stent in the left common iliac vein. Endovenous stenting is a relatively new treatment modality that is used to treat post-thrombotic venous occlusions and chronic venous insufficiency. Only a few case series have been described of stenting of compressed pelvic veins by adjacent structures such as gynecological malignancies. Although stent patency lasted only four weeks in this patient, venous stent placement quickly reliefs symptoms and should therefore be considered as an option to bridge time to allow development of sufficient venous collaterals.     

Adventitial cystic disease of the external iliac vein presenting with deep venous thrombosis. A case report

Adventitial cystic disease of the venous system is a rare occurrence with only 8 reported cases in the world literature. The most commonly involved segment has been the common femoral vein, resulting in luminal compromise and presenting with extremity swelling. Painless swelling of the right lower extremity in a 37-year-old man was diagnosed as iliofemoral thrombosis by duplex examination. Thrombolysis revealed smooth luminal defects of the external iliac vein, which prompted surgical exploration. Iliofemoral thrombectomy exposed multiloculated adventitial cysts of the distal external iliac vein. The preferred surgical intervention in the literature has been transadventitial or transluminal evacuation of the mucoid cysts with removal of cystic wall. These are excellent options when there is no associated venous thrombosis, wall thickening, or persistent venous stenosis after drainage. This is the first reported case associated with deep venous thrombosis. In this situation resection of the involved segment followed by venous reconstruction might be the preferred option.     

Incidental discovery of a long standing arteriovenous fistula after thrombectomy for acute lower limb ischaemia

INTRODUCTION

Arteriovenous fistula (AVF) is the abnormal connection between an artery and vein. Congenital AVF of the popliteal artery is very rare.

PRESENTATION OF CASE

89 year old lady presented with right acute lower limb ischaemia. She had unilateral chronic venous hypertensive change in the right leg. Femoral embolectomy was performed. Backflow was achieved. Arteriotomy was closed. The patient''s leg continued to deteriorate. She returned to theatre. On-table angiogram showed an occluded SFA. Thrombectomy was completed. SFA was patent but no blood flowed into the distal popliteal artery. A second on table angiogram revealed AVF between popliteal artery and vein. Dissection to the posterior aspect of the knee revealed the fistula. The vein was arterialized and enlarged. The AVF was ligated. Normal distal blood flow was achieved. Retrospectively we measured the leg lengths. Right leg was 3 cm longer than the left. The right leg circumference was 7 cm greater than the left. She reported chronic venous change from a young age. She did not report any history of trauma to the limb.

DISCUSSION

Popliteal artery to popliteal vein fistula is a rare. Trauma is the most common cause of popliteal AVF. Should the condition develop before closure of the epiphyses, there may be an increase in leg measurements.

CONCLUSION

We postulate that this case of AV fistula may be congenital due to discrepancy in leg measurements and unilateral chronic venous hypertensive change. Rarely persistent remnants of the embryonic sciatic artery can lead to arteriovenous anastomoses, which may be a possible aetiology.     

深静脉瓣膜重建术治疗下肢静脉倒流性疾病

为综合评价切开瓣膜修复术、静脉瓣戴戒术和静脉外肌袢成形术三种深静脉瓣膜重建手术的适应证与疗效，对１９９２年１月～１９９６年６月收治的６２例下肢静脉倒流性疾病患者进行了临床研究。全部患者均有不同程度的浅静脉曲张及下肢酸胀感，其中肿胀３０例，足靴区色素沉着２８例，溃疡１４例。病程为１年～３０年，平均１４．６年。１４例患者采用股浅静脉第１对瓣膜戴戒术，１例患者采用股浅静脉切开瓣膜修复术，４７例患者采用月国静脉外肌袢成形术。术后平均随访２０个月，所有患者症状缓解，１４例溃疡均愈合，无一例复发。结果表明：①戴戒术和瓣膜修补术适用于深静脉瓣膜功能不全倒流Ⅰ级～Ⅱ级；②肌袢成形术适用于深静脉瓣膜功能不全倒流Ⅲ级～Ⅳ级或先天性瓣膜功能缺陷；③戴戒材料宽度应增加到２ｃｍ；④对双股静脉畸形的原发性深静脉瓣膜功能不全，应同时行双股浅静脉第１对瓣膜戴戒术。认为，对月国静脉分支较多者仍可施行月国静脉外肌袢成形术，只要术中仔细操作，同样可取得优良效果     

Adventitial cystic disease of the femoral vein: a case report and review of the literature.

Painless edema of the left leg developed in a 65-year-old man without a history of venous disease, and he was found to have a mass compressing the lumen of the left common femoral vein. The intramural cyst was drained through transvenous exposure and found to contain mucoid material. This is the seventh case of adventitial cystic disease of a vein in the world literature. Analogous to adventitial cystic disease of arteries, it is defined by venography, CT scanning, and duplex ultrasonography. Surgical drainage is the treatment of choice.     

Adventitial cystic disease of the femoral vein accompanied by deep vein thrombosis

Adventitial cystic disease of the femoral vein is an extremely rare condition; therefore, diagnosis, treatments, surgical approaches and long-term prognosis are not well defined. We report the case of a 67-year-old man with femoral vein adventitial cystic disease complicated with deep vein thrombosis. He presented with right leg oedema. Ultrasound, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed a mass in the femoral vein, and deep vein thrombosis was not detected at the time. However, venous return disorder worsened due to the mass causing a deep vein thrombosis in the femoral vein, and anticoagulation therapy with edoxaban was administered. Subsequently, deep vein thrombosis in the femoral vein disappeared, but remained in the lower calf. The mass and femoral vein were completely resected and reconstructed with an expanded polytetrafluoroethylene graft. No recurrence was observed over 3 years and 3 months.     

Adventitial cystic disease of common femoral artery

Adventitial cystic disease (ACD) is an uncommon cause of ischemia. The majority of ACD is located in the popliteal artery. Over 49 extrapopliteal locations have been described. We report on a case of femoral artery ACD in a young patient with claudication. The diagnosis was made with duplex ultrasound and confirmed with computed tomographic angiogram. The patient underwent a surgical treatment. One year postoperatively, the patient is active with no claudication. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of extrapopliteal artery ACD in Canada.     

Noninvasive diagnosis and quantitation of popliteal reflux in the swollen and ulcerated leg

Air-plethysmography was used to study 25 normal legs (N), 25 legs with primary varicose veins (PVV) without sequelae of venous disease (chronic swelling, skin changes, ulceration), 32 legs with primary varicose veins with sequelae of venous disease (PVV/S) and 32 legs with reflux in the popliteal vein (PR). The blood volume that filled the leg veins on standing from recumbent position (venous volume [VV]) in ml and the time needed for 90% filling of the veins (venous filling time [VFT90]), in seconds were measured. The ratio 90% of VV/VFT90 was defined as venous filling index (VFI) in ml/sec. VFI is a measurement of reflux. The measurements were repeated with a 2.5 cm wide tourniquet (T) placed at the knee level to occlude the superficial veins only. The method, apart from its diagnostic accuracy, can measure reflux separately in the superficial and the deep venous system and has indicated that the magnitude of reflux is related to chronic swelling and ulceration of the leg, irrespective of whether it is in the superficial or deep system.     

Vascular compression caused by solitary osteochondroma: useful diagnostic methods of magnetic resonance angiography and Doppler ultrasonography

 Osteochondroma is a common benign bone tumor that sometimes causes vascular complications when the lesion is situated near the knee. Venous complications are seen less frequently. We report two cases of solitary osteochondroma that arose in the distal femur. The patients were an 11-year-old boy and a 16-year-old boy, both of whom were suffering from bone protuberance and lower leg swelling due to congestion. In both patients, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed dilated popliteal veins at a site distal from the tumors or superficial veins. MR angiography (MRA) showed compressed popliteal arteries, and Doppler ultrasonography revealed weaker blood flow in the dorsalis pedis arteries in the lower leg with the tumor than in the other lower leg. The former patient complained of pain due to swelling in the lower leg, and for this reason the patient underwent resection of the tumor. After resection, both the swelling and the pain were decreased, and Doppler ultrasonography also revealed normal blood flow in the artery. The latter patient had swelling, but no pain, in the lower leg, and accordingly this patient has been followed carefully without resection, since there is always the possibility of irreversible vascular damage caused by osteochondroma, such as arterial or venous occlusion. We present two patients with osteochondroma, both of whom suffered from swelling of the lower leg due to venous compression by the tumor. In both cases, MRI and MRA were useful to show the presence of vascular compression. Doppler ultrasonography could also reveal the blood flow disturbance objectively, even in current osteochondroma cases in which there were no arterial symptoms. Received: November 26, 2001 / Accepted: March 7, 2002