Leiomyosarcoma of the popliteal artery. A report of two cases

Leiomyosarcomas (LS) are relatively uncommon soft-tissue sarcomas that occasionally involve the extremities. LS are usually tumors of adults and most often involve the gastrointestinal tract and uterus. When a soft-tissue sarcoma is suspected, comprehensive preoperative staging studies are an important part of the diagnostic and therapeutic management. With the use of computed tomography and magnetic resonance image scanning, the role of the arteriogram in the staging of soft-tissue tumors has been markedly diminished. There is still, however, a place for the arteriogram in the staging of soft-tissue tumors that are proximate to or displace the neurovascular bundle. Two patients demonstrated LS that arose from the popliteal artery, illustrating the importance of arteriography. When indentation and displacement can be visualized, involvement of the artery should be suspected. This may be critical when considering limb salvage versus amputation surgery. If limb salvage surgery is to be accomplished, an interpositional graft and segmental resection of the artery are necessary.