Surgical treatment of peripheral artery aneurysms.

INTRODUCTION: Peripheral arterial aneurysms (PAA) may rupture, cause emboli and ischemia, and local symptoms due to compression. METHODS: A total of 109 patients who underwent surgery for PAA were analyzed retrospectively, including clinical presentation, surgical procedures used, and postoperative follow-up data obtained 10 days after discharge. RESULTS: True aneurysm was present in 59 (54.1%) patients and pseudoaneurysm in 50 (45.9%). The femoral artery was the most common location. The surgical procedures used were as follows: graft interposition in 31 patients, bypass with synthetic or autologous grafts in 33 patients, aneurysm ligation in 5 patients, primary repair in 41 patients, and patch angioplasty reconstruction in 7 patients. One patient died as a result of massive hemorrhage. In four patients, amputation had to be performed. CONCLUSIONS: It is possible to prevent amputation and other complications, including mortality, during the surgical treatment of symptomatic and asymptomatic PAA.