title: [Popliteal aneurysms--surgical management versus conservative procedure].
abstract: 217 patients with 349 popliteal aneurysms (PA) were studied. 45% presented with symptomatic complications, mainly thrombosis (21% acute, 15% chronic) and embolisation (7%). The mean diameter was significantly larger in acutely thrombosed (2.69 cm) than in patent PA (2.15 cm). The amputation rate in patients requiring emergency treatment was 36.1% after 2 years. The difference to patients undergoing bypass surgery in an asymptomatic stage (4-year graft patency 89%, limb salvage 100%) is highly significant. Of 128 PA treated conservatively, 53% were free of complications after 5 years. We conclude that prophylactic surgery of PA is justified in cases at high risk of developing complications, but that characteristics of those cases are not yet well defined.
authors.affiliation: Allgemeines Krankenhaus Harburg, Hamburg.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schröder
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gohlke
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Gross-Fengels
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Horstmann
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000671:Amputation, Surgical; D000783:Aneurysm / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D004617:Embolism / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011150:Popliteal Artery / Q000601:surgery*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality; D015996:Survival Rate; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery
vernacular_title: Poplitea-Aneurysmen--operative Versorgung versus konservatives Vorgehen.