ISSN:
1615-5947
Keywords:
Cystic degeneration
;
popliteal artery
;
popliteal adventitial cystic degeneration
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Medicine
Notes:
Abstract Adventitial cystic degeneration of the popliteal artery is seldom encountered; only 39 cases have been reported up to now in Japan. The pathogenesis of this disease remains controversial, and the authors describe a case in which the pathological findings differed from cases reported in the previous literature. The subject was a 74-year-old man admitted to our hospital complaining of intermittent claudication. The characteristic findings of cystic degeneration of the popliteal artery were uncovered by contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) and duplex sonography. The contrast-enhanced CT showed a low-density area and duplex sonography revealed a multi-lobulated low-echoic lesion. The Doppler signal of the low-echoic lesion could not be detected. While some cysts were found in the adventitia, they were mainly located in the media. The media also showed a remarkable decrease of smooth muscle cells and a prominent mucinous degeneration that had occurred circumferentially. These findings suggest that the medial degeneration noted had occurred prior to cystic formation. Because of this and other findings, we recommend the use of the termcystic degeneration of the popliteal artery in addition to the termcystic adventitial disease of the popliteal artery.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF02000824
