title: Pseudoaneurysm of the sural artery: a rare complication of lower limb angioplasty.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) is a common therapeutic option for the treatment of peripheral vascular disease. Pseudoaneurysm at the puncture site is a well-documented complication in patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  This case report describes a patient who presented to hospital several days following a left superficial femoral and popliteal artery PTA with lower limb pain and swelling. The working diagnosis included a deep vein thrombosis based on the Wells criteria. However, a combination of a duplex scan and computed tomography angiography confirmed a clinically rare occurrence of pseudoaneurysm of the sural artery, a branch of the popliteal artery. This was managed successfully with a thrombin injection, leading to complete resolution of the patient's symptoms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This case highlights the importance of the technical aspects of performing a PTA. We believe that the guide-wire position was not confirmed to be completely in the popliteal artery upon inflation of the balloon.
authors.affiliation: Core Surgical Trainee (CT2), Queens Medical Centre, Nottingham, UK.
authors.forename: Abdul
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aziz
authors.forename: Allan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Green
authors.forename: Jana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Maskova
authors.forename: Sriram
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rajagopalan
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bachoo
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D017541:Aneurysm, False / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D000792:Angiography; D000800:Angioplasty, Balloon / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001794:Blood Pressure; D005260:Female; D006490:Hemostatics / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D007866:Leg / Q000098:blood supply*; D016491:Peripheral Vascular Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D011150:Popliteal Artery / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013917:Thrombin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D018616:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Duplex
chemical_list: D006490:Hemostatics; D013917:Thrombin
keywords: Angioplasty; popliteal artery; pseudoaneurysm; sural artery