[Adventitia resection in cystic degeneration of the popliteal artery]

Adventitial cystic disease is a rare form of non-atherosclerotic stenosis of the popliteal artery. It is caused by synovial-like cysts in the subadventitial tissue layer of the arterial wall causing compression of the lumen. The cysts contain mucinous material similar to that found in joint-ganglia. Popliteal artery stenoses causing claudication in young patients is the leading symptom of this disease. The classical therapy is the surgical excision of the diseased artery and interposition grafting with saphenous vein. As an alternative method we present the technique of complete circumferential resection of the diseased adventitia to decompress the lumen of the artery by removing the cysts completely. This technique is called exarterectomy and has been applied in 2 patients. In both cases we could remove the cysts completely without opening the arterial lumen. Intraoperative arteriography documented complete decompression of the arterial lumen. Both patients presented with excellent results 6 months postoperatively without any symptoms or signs of recurrence. Late results of exarterectomy ar not yet available.