CYSTIC ADVENTITIAL DEGENERATION OF THE POPLITEAL ARTERY

A rare arterial occlusive disease, characterized by cystic changes in the wall of the popliteal artery, was first described by Erjup and Hiertonn in 1954.'

Clinical Pathological Picture  The clinical pathological picture of the disease has been remarkably uniform. All cases of cystic degeneration of the popliteal artery have occurred in young men between 24 and 47 years of age. In each case, there was sudden onset of pain in the calf without history of trauma or other apparent cause. This pain was followed by claudication of the involved leg. There has been in each patient an absence of the usual evidence of general arterial obliterative disease. There has been arteriographic evidence of stenosis or occlusion of the popliteal artery. Operative findings have revealed an intramural cyst compressing the arterial lumen. The gross findings have been similar in each patient, with a cystlike formation in the wall of the artery.