Diagnosis
To diagnose popliteal artery aneurysm, a healthcare professional usually examines you and checks your legs for:
- Pulses in the back of the knee.
- Pulses in your feet.
- Swelling.
- Tenderness.
- Changes in skin color or temperature on the lower leg and behind the knee.
You may be asked questions about your health history and habits, such as smoking.
Tests
Imaging tests can help tell if you have a popliteal artery aneurysm. Tests may include:
- Duplex ultrasound. This test uses sound waves to see how blood flows through the arteries and veins. It also lets the healthcare professional measure the size of the popliteal artery. It's a simple and quick way to diagnose popliteal artery aneurysm. For the test, a healthcare professional gently moves a hand-held ultrasound device on the skin behind and around the knee.
- CT angiography or magnetic resonance (MR) angiography. These tests take detailed images of blood flow in the arteries. Before the images are taken, a solution called contrast is injected into a blood vessel. The contrast helps the arteries show up more clearly on images taken during the test.
Treatment
Popliteal artery aneurysm treatment depends on:
- The size of the aneurysm.
- The symptoms.
- Your age and overall health.
Treatment may include:
- Regular health checkups. You get checkups and ultrasound tests to check the aneurysm, particularly if the aneurysm is small. This also may be called "watchful waiting."
- Medicines. People with popliteal artery aneurysm usually get aspirin. If you have high blood pressure or high cholesterol, your healthcare professional may also give you medicines to treat those conditions.
- Surgery. Surgery to fix the damaged artery is usually done for any popliteal artery aneurysm that is 0.8 inches (2 centimeters) or larger. But surgery also is typically suggested for any sized popliteal artery aneurysm if you have symptoms. During surgery, a surgeon replaces the artery with a piece of vein or an artificial artery. Rarely, endovascular repair may be done. During this treatment, a doctor places a tube called a stent inside the popliteal artery to keep it open.