PULSATILE BUTTOCK MASS - REPORT OF 2 CASES AND A REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE

The presence of any pulsatile mass suggests an underlying aneurysm. Wh en such masses occur in the buttock, the differential diagnosis includ es aneurysms arising from branches of gluteal vessels or aneurysms dev eloping in a persistent sciatic artery (PSA). The investigation and ma nagement of two patients with pulsatile masses are described. Review o f the embryologic aspects of these masses and the important literature on the subject led to the conclusions that when a pulsatile buttock m ass is encountered, an anomalous PSA should be suspected. A gluteal ar tery aneurysm can be treated by ligation or occlusion, but for a sciat ic artery aneurysm surgical ablation is necessary and distal perfusion must be achieved postoperatively.