Popliteal artery entrapment syndrome.

Intermittent claudication in the young is unusual. The most common cause is premature atherosclerosis; however, conditions such as thromboangitis obliterans, embolism, trauma, cystic disease of the adventitia or popliteal artery entrapment are diagnostic considerations. Entrapment of the popliteal artery by an anomalous muscle attachment or fibrotic band may result in external compression of the popliteal artery. Such compression can cause acute ischemia, and over a period of time the artery may develop irreversible changes secondary to repeated trauma. Certain aspects of the symptoms complex may serve to alert one of the possible presence of the popliteal artery entrapment syndrome. The following case is illustrative.