Diagnosis and surgical management of popliteal artery entrapment syndrome

The purpose of the present study was to report the authors' experience of surgically treating eight limbs in six patients for popliteal artery entrapment syndrome (PAES), over a 10-year period.

From 1995 to 2004, six patients (eight limbs) underwent surgery for PAES at a single institution. The patients' data were collected retrospectively from the case records and operative notes.

There were six patients with a mean age of 34 years (range, 27-38 years) at diagnosis and five of them were male. Two patients were found to have bilateral involvement. Both patients had symptoms involving both limbs and underwent bilateral surgery. Intermittent claudication was the most frequent presenting symptom (seven of eight limbs). All the patients had Delaney's type III PAES. Popliteal artery release was performed in all eight limbs and this was combined with a vein patch or a reversed long saphenous vein bypass graft in four limbs because the arteries in these four limbs were diseased or occluded. At a median follow up of 15 months (range, 40 days-9 years), five (seven limbs) of the six patients (eight limbs) were cured of their symptoms. One patient who presented late with rest pain and dusky toes underwent popliteal artery release, endarterectomy and a vein patch repair for an occluded popliteal artery. However, her limb could not be salvaged and her affected limb had to be amputated.

Popliteal artery entrapment syndrome is a rare but important cause of peripheral vascular insufficiency especially in young patients. Early diagnosis and surgical intervention is imperative for good operative outcome and to prevent limb loss.