title: Endovascular treatment of popliteal artery aneurysms: preliminary results.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Popliteal artery aneurysms (PAAs) are a rare condition with an incidence <0.1%. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of endovascular treatment of PAA with a covered stent-graft.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between January 2009 and July 2010, ten patients (nine men and one woman, mean age 69 ± 12 years) with PAA were treated by endovascular placement of a heparin-coated stent-graft. All procedures were evaluated in terms of technical success, patency at 1, 6 and 12 months as assessed by colour Doppler ultrasound, complications, procedure duration and length of postoperative hospital stay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We obtained 100% technical success, with no peri- or postprocedural complications. Average duration of the procedure was 40 min, and mean hospital stay was 3 days. Primary and secondary patency rates at 1, 6 and 12 months were 100% and 100%, 90% and 100%, and 90% and 100%, respectively. Only one case of endoleak occurred.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In keeping with the literature, our study demonstrates the effectiveness of endovascular repair of PAA, with short- and mid-term patency rates comparable to those of open surgery. Larger series and longer follow-up periods are needed to confirm these preliminary results.
authors: S.C.D.U Radiodiagnostica e Radiologia Interventistica, A.O.U. Maggiore della Carità, C.so Mazzini 18, 28100, Novara, Italy. guz@libero.it
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Guzzardi
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Fossaceca
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Cerini
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Di Terlizzi
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Stanca
authors: I
authors: I
authors: Di Gesù
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Martino
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Brustia
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Carriero
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000783:Aneurysm / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D000792:Angiography; D019917:Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D061646:Operative Time; D011150:Popliteal Artery; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D015607:Stents; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color; D014654:Vascular Patency