False aneurysms of the femoral artery: a challenge in management.

Forty patients with aneurysms of the femoral arteries were evaluated. Thirty had 34 false aneurysms and 23 were secondary to disruption of the suture line of a graft-to-artery anastomosis. All the false aneurysms were found in association with a synthetic material used as a bypass or arterial substitute. No direct relationship was found between the suture material and the incidence of anastomotic aneurysms in this series. Infection associated with the development of a false aneurysm was followed by a high incidence of amputation. Various techniques of repair have been used to restore the flow and preserve the viability of the limb. Recommendations are made to decrease the incidence of this complication.