What should be the first treatment of popliteal artery entrapment syndrome

Popliteal artery entrapment syndrome (PAES) is the rare congenital abnormality. It is a threat to the lower extremity due to ischemia in young adults.

A 32-year-old health worker (medical doctor) applied to our clinic with a complaint of lower extremity pain, paleness, and coldness, post-exercise. He did not have any complaint to make him think as ischemia. Peripheral arterial angiography was applied, but the main diagnosis was given by magnetic resonance imaging angiography. Medical thrombolytic treatment, femoral embolectomy and then tendon resection, approached posteriorly, were applied to the popliteal region.

Repeated exterior microtraumas cause thickening in the arterial wall, early atherosclerosis, thrombus and ischemia. To diagnose this entity is difficult. Treatment should be surgical, oriented to abolish the compression.

In this case, we wanted to emphasize how quiet the progression of the PAES may be, and effacement of the compression is essential in the treatment. Femoral embolectomy does not have any aid to treatment.