Differential Diagnosis of Popliteal Artery Entrapment Syndrome in Light of an Atypical Clinical Manifestation

Popliteal artery entrapment syndrome (PAES) is a type of arterial obstruction seen in athletic and young patients with no cardiovascular risk factors. It is caused by aberrant anatomy affecting the position of the popliteal artery or gastrocnemius muscle or functional obstruction resulting from a hypertrophied gastrocnemius muscle. Rich's classification has been used to define the various entities. PAES presents as unilateral claudication exacerbated by physical exertion. However, such a clinical presentation is shared amongst not only vascular diseases but also musculoskeletal diseases. Therefore, a wide array of differential diagnoses must be considered when popliteal artery entrapment-induced claudication is suspected.