False aneurysm of the anterior tibial artery in lower leg fractures treated with the Ilizarov external fixator. Case report.

A case of open segmental fracture of the right lower leg treated with an Ilizarov external fixator in emergency surgery is presented. Approximately two months after operation, swelling in the anterior compartment of the tibia and repeated episodes of bleeding from one of the Kirschner wire holes led the authors to perform an angiography, which revealed the presence of a false aneurysm of the anterior tibial artery. The intraoperative finding of a double lesion in the anterior tibial artery confirmed the iatrogenous nature of the injury.