Youthful popliteal aneurysm.

Popliteal artery aneurysms are not so clinically frequent but are the most common site of peripheral aneurysms. They usually affect men aged over sixt y and are caused by atherosclerosis. Whenever they concern younger men, oth er more unusual aetiologies such trauma, infection, inflammatory arteritis or popliteal entrapment are responsible. The authors report the first writt en observation of small size popliteal aneurysm, revealed by intermittent c laudication in a 33 years old subject, of which the origin is accelerated a therosclerosis. The evolution after resection of the popliteal aneurysm and end-to-end anastomosis with saphenous vein was favorable. This observation reminds us of various popliteal aneurysm aetiologies, not excluding athero clerosis due to young age and also underlines that the small size of these aneurysms does not protect against embolism risk (J Mal Vasc 1999; 24: 306- 308).