title: A case of late femoral pseudoaneurysm caused by stent disconnection.
abstract: We present the case of a late superficial femoral artery stent disconnection causing an asymptomatic pseudoaneurysm successfully treated with a stent-graft. A 67-year-old female was referred to our department for evaluation of claudication of the left lower limb and was diagnosed to have a total occlusion of the superficial femoral artery. Three nitinol stents were used to revascularize this artery. At 48 months, duplex-ultrasonography control revealed the presence of a 45-mm saccular femoral dilatation; X-rays and CT angiography showed fractures of the proximal stents and the presence of a pseudoaneurysm at the site of the distal stents disconnection. The pseudoaneurysm was excluded using two stent-grafts. We conclude that patients and surgeons should be aware of structural complications with all stents. Rigorous follow-up controls should be mandatory. Endovascular repair proved to be feasible and durable to manage a previous endovascular procedure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Sciences, Vascular Surgery, Varese University Hospital, University of Insubria, Via Guicciardini 9, 21100, Varese, Italy.
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rivolta
authors.forename: Federico
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fontana
authors.forename: Gabriele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Piffaretti
authors.forename: Matteo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tozzi
authors.forename: Gianpaolo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Carrafiello
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D017541:Aneurysm, False / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery*; D000792:Angiography; D000800:Angioplasty, Balloon / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D005263:Femoral Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D011475:Prosthesis Failure; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D015607:Stents; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D018616:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Duplex; D014654:Vascular Patency / Q000502:physiology; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods