title: Popliteal artery entrapment syndrome: a common cause of a rare clinical entity--critical leg ischemia in the young.
abstract: Popliteal artery entrapment syndrome (PAES) is a rare but important cause of leg ischemia and even disability in young athletes. Entrapment occurs because of an abnormal relationship between the popliteal artery and the surrounding muscular structures in the popliteal fossa. These anomalies lead to decreased blood flow to the affected leg with signs of claudication, coldness, and symptoms of exercise-induced leg pain. In this article, we present a case of a young soldier who presented with the above signs and symptoms in his left foot after exercise. On questioning, he admitted to having chronic lower leg pain. He was diagnosed with PAES in both legs and he was emergently treated with an arterial bypass procedure in the left one. He had no postoperative complications. PAES should be considered in the differential diagnosis of chronic or acute lower leg pain in any young patient. Early diagnosis and treatment can prevent limb loss and lead to a good operative outcome.
authors.affiliation: Medical Department, Special Forces Training Center, Nea Peramos, Megara, Attiki 19006, Greece.
authors.forename: Zoi
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Tsilogianni
authors.affiliation: Medical Department, Special Forces Training Center, Nea Peramos, Megara, Attiki 19006, Greece.
authors.forename: Konstantinos
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Grapatsas
authors.affiliation: Medical Department, Special Forces Training Center, Nea Peramos, Megara, Attiki 19006, Greece.
authors.forename: Zisis
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Papanikolaou
authors.affiliation: Medical Department, Special Forces Training Center, Nea Peramos, Megara, Attiki 19006, Greece.
authors.forename: Aggeliki
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kokkini-Paschou
authors.affiliation: Medical Department, Special Forces Training Center, Nea Peramos, Megara, Attiki 19006, Greece.
authors.forename: Apostolos
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tsantilas
authors.affiliation: Division of Surgery, Department of Vascular Surgery, 401 General Military Hospital of Athens, 1 Katechaki Street, Mesogeion Avenue, Athens 11525, Greece.
authors.forename: Vasileios
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Tsiligiris
authors.affiliation: Division of Surgery, Department of Vascular Surgery, 401 General Military Hospital of Athens, 1 Katechaki Street, Mesogeion Avenue, Athens 11525, Greece.
authors.forename: Georgios
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vourliotakis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D059350:Chronic Pain / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007383:Intermittent Claudication / Q000209:etiology*; D007511:Ischemia / Q000209:etiology*; D007866:Leg / Q000098:blood supply*; D008297:Male; D008889:Military Personnel; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal; D011150:Popliteal Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011859:Radiography; D013577:Syndrome; D014481:United States; D016138:Walking