PERSISTENT SCIATIC ARTERY - CASE-REPORT A ND LITERATURE-REVIEW

A persistent sciatic artery results from lack of regression of the fet al arterial blood supply of the leg and is often combined with an abno rmally developed superficial femoral artery. A rare case of bilateral persistent sciatic artery with unilateral thrombosed aneurysm of the r ight buttock was found. The right sciatic artery was completely develo ped and terminated in the popliteal artery, which showed thromboemboli c occlusion. The right superficial femoral artery was hypoplastic and showed no connection with the popliteal artery. The left sciatic arter y was incompletely developed, and the popliteal artery was fed by a no rmal superficial femoral artery. All of the 104 cases published of per sistent sciatic artery were reviewed according to the degree of develo pment, side localization, clinical signs and frequency of aneurysms, a s well as the morphology of the ipsilateral superficial femoral artery .