Twenty-year experience of femoral artery aneurysms

Background: The purpose of this experience was to define patient characteristics, aneurysm anatomy and presentation, types of utilized repair options, and temporal changes over 2 decades in the management of femoral artery aneurysms (FAAs). Methods:Between January 1988 and December 2009, 27 patients with a total of 35 true FAAs were analyzed. Histologic examination was obtained for all the operated FAAs. Postoperative follow-up included clinical and radiologic examinations every 6 months in the first year and once per year thereafter. Results: There were 25 men; mean age was 65 +/- 19 years. Aneurysms involved the common femoral artery in 20 cases (57%), the superficial femoral artery in 9 cases (26%), and the profunda femoris artery in 6 cases (17%). Seven patients (26%) had bilateral aneurysms, and 13 patients (48%) had additional aneurysms. Overall, 10 FAAs (29%) were symptomatic. Mean aneurysm diameter was 46 +/- 19 mm. Three patients with four aneurysms were not operated on, and 31 aneurysms were finally operated on. Intensive care unit admission was never needed and hospital mortality was not registered. Major complications occurred in 3 cases (3 of 31; 8.5%) only. Amputations were never performed. Mean follow-up was 56 +/- 49 months. No graft thrombosed and only a late (6 months) anastomotic pseudoaneurysm was detected and treated with an endograft. Patients' survival was 93% +/- 0.5% at 6 months, 88.6% +/- 0.6% at 1 year, and 77.6% +/- 1.2% at 5 years. Conclusion: FAAs have been uncommon and rarely isolated lesions. Surgical repair offered good results either in elective or urgent settings. (J Vasc Surg 2011;53:1230-6.)