Diagnosis and treatment of ruptured femoral pseudoaneurysms due to drug injection

Objective To explore the therapeutic experience in the treatment of ruptured femoral pseudoaneurysms caused by injection of drug.Methods From Jun 1998 to December 2005 16 patients with ruptured femoral pseudoaneurysms received emergency surgery were analyzed retrospectively.Results The focal debridement and pseudoaneurysmectomy was performed in all patients.Among them,3 cases of artificial vessels were infected and artificial vessel resection was needed 6～12 months after operation. Thus,all cases were treated by pseudoaneurysmectomy and ligaton of femoral artery was performed in 13 cases. 1 case died from bleeding of femoral artery after operation. No postoperative gangrene of lower limbs were found. Conclusion Application of ligation of femoral artery, pseudoaneurysmectomy and debridement are a simple and safe method for the treatment of ruptured femoral pseudoaneurysm caused by injection of drug and it should be considered as a first choice. If severe ischemia is occurred in the distal end of low limbs, an extra anatomic artificial vessel bypass is necessary.