Peripheral Arterial Pseudoaneurysms—a 10-Year Clinical Study

Peripheral arterial pseudoaneurysms are quite common in Northern India (Punjab Province) and thus a common presenting complaint of varied etiology. The objective of this study was to evaluate the clinical outcome of patients presenting with peripheral arterial pseudoaneurysms of varied etiology. Retrospective analysis of medical records of patients with diagnosis of peripheral arterial pseudoaneurysm from 1 May 2001 to 30 October 2009 was done. In the prospective period from 1 November 2009 to 30 April 2011, the patients were personally examined by the authors and followed up till discharge from the hospital and subsequently at 2 weeks, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months postdischarge from the hospital. We studied 50 patients (13 in the prospective group and 37 in the retrospective study group). Intravenous drug abuse (26 cases) followed by trauma (nine cases) was the commonest etiology. Femoral artery was the commonest artery involved (37 cases). A pulsatile mass with localized tenderness was the commonest presentation. All patients underwent surgical treatment with 36 (72 %) patients undergoing ligation and excision of the pseudoaneurysm. Six (12 %) patients underwent revascularization with reverse saphenous vein graft. Five (10 %) patients underwent primary repair, and three (6 %) patients were managed by putting a synthetic ePTFE graft. Postoperative wound infection was seen in 18 (36 %) patients, and 33 (66 %) patients had an uneventful recovery. In pseudoaneurysms, surgical repair at the early instance carries a favorable prognosis. If feasible, reverse saphenous vein grafting is the best conduit for repair. Synthetic vascular graft (ePTFE) can be used in case autologous saphenous vein is not available. Excision and ligation is safe, and we recommend it as the treatment of choice for infected arterial pseudoaneurysms.