Surgical treatment of peripheral artery aneurysms.

INTRODUCTION Peripheral arterial aneurysms (PAA) may rupture, cause emboli and ischemia, and local symptoms due to compression. METHODS A total of 109 patients who underwent surgery for PAA were analyzed retrospectively, including clinical presentation, surgical procedures used, and postoperative follow-up data obtained 10 days after discharge. RESULTS True aneurysm was present in 59 (54.1%) patients and pseudoaneurysm in 50 (45.9%). The femoral artery was the most common location. The surgical procedures used were as follows: graft interposition in 31 patients, bypass with synthetic or autologous grafts in 33 patients, aneurysm ligation in 5 patients, primary repair in 41 patients, and patch angioplasty reconstruction in 7 patients. One patient died as a result of massive hemorrhage. In four patients, amputation had to be performed. CONCLUSIONS It is possible to prevent amputation and other complications, including mortality, during the surgical treatment of symptomatic and asymptomatic PAA.