The increasing number of invasive cardiac centers and interventional diagnostic and therapeutic procedures leads to an increased incidence of iatrogenic or traumatic pseudoaneurysms in the extremity arteries. Surgical treatment can be easily performed and has a low risk, but without treatment rupture and embolization can be fatal.

Methods:

Between 1985 and October 2000, 15 patients were operated for pseudoaneurysm of extremity arteries. Eleven patients (70.34%) were male and four (29.66%) were female. The mean age was 50.2 ± 9.4 years (range, 25 to 75). The femoral superficial artery was the most common site of presentation with 53.3%. Brachial artery was involved in 3 patients (20%), radial artery in two patients (13.3%), popliteal artery in one patient and tibial artery in another one patient (6.6%). The most important etiologic factor was the arterial puncture for cardiac catheterization. In 9 patients (60%) the pseudoaneurysmal sac was opened and resected, and after the drainage of the hematoma the puncture point was primarily sutured. In the other patients the continuity of the arterial flow was restored by graft interposition.

Results:

Early and late mortality and morbidity were not detected. Ischemic changes in the involved extremities have not occured.

Conclusions:

The easy surgical repair facilitates the treatment of this complication. When graft interposition is neccessary,autogenous vein grafts are suggested because of their resistance to infection.