Endovascular repair of a persistent sciatic artery aneurysm

Area of Science:

• Vascular Surgery
• Interventional Radiology
• Embryology

Background:

• Persistent sciatic artery (PSA) is a rare congenital vascular anomaly, representing an embryologic remnant of the internal iliac artery.
• PSA aneurysms pose significant risks including distal embolization, sciatic neuropathy, and rupture.
• Conventional surgical repair of PSA aneurysms is complex and risks sciatic nerve injury.

Observation:

• A case of persistent sciatic artery aneurysm with postaneurysmal stenosis is presented.
• The patient was treated using a minimally invasive endovascular technique.
• Two overlapping self-expanding stent-grafts were deployed via a contralateral transfemoral approach.

Findings:

• Successful endovascular management of the PSA aneurysm and associated stenosis was achieved.
• The endovascular approach avoided the complexities and risks of open surgical intervention.
• This case highlights the feasibility and success of stent-graft repair for PSA aneurysms.

Implications:

• Endovascular repair offers a viable and potentially safer alternative for treating persistent sciatic artery aneurysms.
• This technique may reduce the risk of sciatic nerve damage compared to open surgery.
• Further literature review supports endovascular treatment for these rare peripheral aneurysms.