Infected late false aneurysm of the deep femoral artery

A false aneurysm may mimic an abscess, but concomitant existence of the two lesions seems not to have been previously described. In a 32-year-old man, a false aneurysm of the deep femoral artery was found to be in communication with an abscess cavity in the posterolateral thigh. The false aneurysm was found in the proximity of the protruding tip of a Steinmann pin which had eroded the arterial wall. The abscess was a consequence of posttraumatic and postoperative osteomyelitis which had been previously debrided, bone grafted, and immobilize with an external fixator attached to four Steinmann pins. The condition was successfully treated by surgical drainage of te abscess cavity, excision of the false aneurysm, and ligation of the deep femoral artery.