Surgical treatment of traumatic lower limb pseudoaneurysm

ObjectiveTo summarize our experience in surgical treatment of traumatic lower limb pseudoaneurysm.MethodsTwenty patients with traumatic lower limb pseudoaneurysm were surgically treated in our department from January 2007 to January 2012. The treatment protocols included interventional covered-stent placement (10 cases), spring coil embolization (2 cases), and surgical operation (8 cases). Surgical operations included pseudoaneurysm repair (2 cases), autologous-vein transplantation (1 case), and artificial-vessel bypass graft (5 cases).ResultsAll the patients were successfully treated without aggravating lower limb ischemia. Pseudoaneurysm disappeared after treatment. A surgical operation is suitable to most pseudoaneurysms, but its damage is relatively obvious and usually leads to more bleeding. It also requires a longer operating time. Compared to a surgical operation, interventional therapy is less traumatic and patients usually have a quicker recovery (P < 0.05). All patients were followed up once per month for 12-36 months by color Doppler ultrasound examination. There were no cases of pseudoaneurysm recurrence.ConclusionBoth surgical operation and interventional therapy are safe and effective in the treatment of pseudoaneurysm.