Peripheral aneurysms

Between January 1970 and December 1990, 17 cases of peripheral aneurysms were observed in 15 patients. Fourteen patients were male and one patient was female. Age ranged between 4 years and 82 years. From the 17 peripheral aneurysms, 4 were false aneurysms, 9 were true atherosclerotic aneurysms, 2 were mycotic and 2 were true blunt traumatic aneurysms. The false aneurysms were caused by gun shot (one case, common carotid artery); complication of carotid endarterectomy (2 cases); iatrogenic (one case, common femoral artery). The atherosclerotic aneurysms (9 cases) were located in the subclavian artery (one case); superficial femoral artery (2 cases in a single patient); and popliteal artery (5 cases). The mycotic aneurysms (two in one patient) were located in the profunda femoris artery and in the anterior tibial artery. The two traumatic true aneurysms were located in the distal radial artery and in one interdigital artery, respectively. From the 17 peripheral aneurysms, 15 were submitted to surgical treatment, with fairly good results, except for one case of infection and another case of fatal renal insufficiency. Follow-up time ranged from 1 to 18 years.