Fetal internal iliac artery: case report and embryologic review

A 25-year-old woman with anomalous circulation to the right leg was seen with a symptomatic aneurysm of the abnormal vessel. The artery, which did share some features of the classic persistent sciatic artery, also had important differences that were not previously described in the literature. The patient manifested several associated vascular and nonvascular congenital anomalies. She underwent resection of the aneurysm and primary operative repair of the artery without difficulty. An embryologic interpretation is offered, and the clinical implications and management strategy are discussed.