Deep Vein Thrombosis and True Crural Aneurysm: Misdiagnosis or Causal Relation?

Abstract

True crural artery aneurysm is a rare clinical entity. Crural artery aneurysms are most frequently seen in men in their sixth decade without major cardiopulmonary diseases and are often associated with injury, superinfection, or vasculitis. We report the case of a 44-year-old man with a history of idiopathic deep vein thrombosis (DVT) as the first manifestation of a true crural artery aneurysm. To our knowledge, DVT is very rarely related with true crural artery aneurysms, with only 3 cases reported in the current literature. Open surgical repair is the most common management, with ligation as a second option in emergencies such as rupture. The related literature is discussed. We conclude that crural aneurysms should be considered in differential diagnosis of popliteal DVT in adults. True crural aneurysms need vigilance and a more systematical approach to provide physicians the means to the best medical care.