Angioplasty via retrograde popliteal approach in a stenosed persistent sciatic artery

Persistant sciatic arteries are a rare developmental anomaly prone to aneurysm formation and atherosclerotic disease. We present a case of a patient with bilateral persistant sciatic arteries presenting with unilateral claudication due to a symptomatic stenosis. The stenosis (just above knee) was treated with angioplasty via popliteal puncture. The puncture was complicated by pseudoaneurysm formation. Persistant sciatic arteries can cause diagnostic difficulties as Duplex ultrasound can give the impression of an occluded superficial femoral artery. Angiographic techniques are the mainstay of diagnosis and we demonstrate both conventional and CT angiographic appearances. (c) 2007 European Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.