Anastomotic femoral aneurysms: increase in interval between primary operation and aneurysm formation

OBJECTIVE: Anastomotic pseudoaneurysms continue to be a late complication of vascular surgery, particularly following prosthetic graft procedures. The purpose of this study was to investigate if a previously reported increase in interval between the original operation and the development of pseudoaneurysm was still valid.

DESIGN: Retrospective study.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: We reviewed the records of 76 patients who presented with 90 femoral aneurysms. The median age was 69 years (range: 39-83). The commonest previous vascular surgery was a aortofemoral bypass in 61 cases.

RESULTS: The interval between the original operation and the repair of the pseudoaneurysms was 9 years (range 1 month to 26 years).

CONCLUSIONS: This study confirms the previously noted trend of an increasing time to aneurysm formation from 3 years before 1975, 5 years between 1976 and 1980, and 6 years between 1981 and 1990.