Atherosclerotic femoral artery aneurysms: increase in deep femoral aneurysms?

Based on a clinical suspicion of an increase in the proportion of deep femoral aneurysms, we reviewed the case records of patients who underwent reconstructive procedures for femoral aneurysms to investigate if this could be confirmed and explained by selection of patient or modality of diagnosis. A study was made of 17 atherosclerotic femoral aneurysms operations occurring in 17 patients from 1989 to 1994. Eleven associated aneurysms were found. Eleven patients presented with an expanding swelling, 4 with rupture 3 with thrombosis and 2 were asymptomatic. Fourteen aneurysms involved the common femoral artery and 3 the deep femoral artery. The proportion of deep femoral aneurysm was therefore 3/17 = 18%. Previous series report that aneurysms of the profunda femoris artery occurs in only 1% to 2.6% of all femoral artery aneurysms. No explanation was found for this significant increase (p < 0.05).