POPLITEAL VENOUS ANEURYSM WITH PULMONARY-EMBOLISM

Two previously healthy patients were admitted for chest pain, haemopty sis and dyspnoea. Perfusion-ventilation lung scanning demonstrated pul monary embolism. Lower extremity duplex imaging and contrast venograph y revealed a thrombosed popliteal vein aneurysm as the source of embol i. After immediate anticoagulant therapy, the thrombo-embolic source w as excluded by aneurysmectomy with lateral venography in the first pat ient. The second patient was treated by anticoagulants and percutaneou s vena cava inferior filter placement to prevent recurrent pulmonary e mbolism. Anatomopathological findings, possible origin, diagnostic mod alities and medical and surgical treatment of popliteal vein aneurysm are discussed.