Popliteal artery entrapment; claudication during youth.
We report four patients who presented early in life with intermittent claudication, caused by popliteal artery entrapment. In three of them this was the result of an abnormality in the anatomy of the popliteal fossa. In the fourth, however, muscular hypertrophy alone led to arterial entrapment. Three patients were successfully treated by simple myotomy. In the fourth arteriography showed a total occlusion of the popliteal artery. An arteriotomy was performed. In was then seen that the vessel was still patent, and the opening was closed with a vein patch. The result of this procedure was also satisfactory. It is the authors' opinion, based on their own experience and that of other workers as reported in the literature, that vascular reconstruction is only indicated when irreversible vascular changes have occurred, or where other lesions have complicated the condition.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007383:Intermittent Claudication / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D011150:Popliteal Artery / Q000601:surgery