Cystic adventitial disease of the popliteal artery

Cystic adventitial disease of the popliteal artery is a rare but well recognized cause of arterial occlusive changes producing disabling symptoms in young patients. We have described a 37-year-old long-distance runner who noticed progressive decrease in the function of his right leg over a period of several months. The presence of an arterial occlusive lesion was difficult to define on clinical grounds, but was confirmed with noninvasive vascular studies and angiography. Surgical treatment by resection of the diseased segment and end-to-end saphenous vein interposition graft yielded excellent results.