Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 20, 2026

Point-Of-Care Ultrasound Screening for Proximal Lower Extremity Deep Venous Thrombosis
Published on: February 10, 2023
A case of popliteal cystic degeneration with pathological considerations
1First Department of Surgery, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, School of Medicine, Japan.
Abstract:
Adventitial cystic degeneration of the popliteal artery is seldom encountered; only 39 cases have been reported up to now in Japan. The pathogenesis of this disease remains controversial, and the authors describe a case in which the pathological findings differed from cases reported in the previous literature. The subject was a 74-year-old man admitted to our hospital complaining of intermittent claudication. The characteristic findings of cystic degeneration of the popliteal artery were uncovered by contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) and duplex sonography. The contrast-enhanced CT showed a low-density area and duplex sonography revealed a multi-lobulated low-echoic lesion. The Doppler signal of the low-echoic lesion could not be detected. While some cysts were found in the adventitia, they were mainly located in the media. The media also showed a remarkable decrease of smooth muscle cells and a prominent mucinous degeneration that had occurred circumferentially. These findings suggest that the medial degeneration noted had occurred prior to cystic formation. Because of this and other findings, we recommend the use of the term cystic degeneration of the popliteal artery in addition to the term cystic adventitial disease of the popliteal artery.
Related Concept Videos
Veins of Lower Limbs
Formed by the union of the medial and lateral plantar veins, the posterior tibial vein, rising through the calf muscle, assimilates the fibular vein. The anterior tibial vein, a superior extension of the foot's dorsalis pedis vein, merges with the posterior tibial vein at the knee,...
Peripheral Artery Disease I: Introduction
Peripheral Arterial Disease II: Clinical Manifestations and Diagnostic Evaluation
Peripheral Artery Disease V: Postoperative Nursing Management
Degenerative Disc Disease I: Introduction
Degenerative Disc Disease ll: Pathophysiology
