Case report

Diagnosing a popliteal venous aneurysm in a primary care setting: A case report

Emmanouil K Symvoulakis¹ , Spyridon Klinis² , Ioannis Peteinarakis² , Dimitrios Kounalakis^1,2 , Nikos Antonakis^1,2 , Emmanouil Tsafantakis² and Christos Lionis¹

¹  Clinic of Social and Family Medicine, Department of Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Crete, Greece

²  Primary Health Centre of Anogia, Rethymno, Crete, Greece

author email corresponding author email

Journal of Medical Case Reports 2008, 2:307doi:10.1186/1752-1947-2-307

Published:	22 September 2008

Abstract

Introduction

Popliteal venous aneurysms are uncommon but potentially fatal vascular disorders. They can be symptomatic or asymptomatic, mimicking different conditions. Popliteal venous aneurysms are possible sources of embolism.

Case presentation

A 68-year-old woman presented at a rural primary health care unit in Crete, Greece, reporting local symptoms of discomfort in the right popliteal fossa with pain during palpation. Colour Doppler ultrasonography revealed local widening and saccular dilatation in the right distal popliteal vein. The diagnosis of a popliteal venous aneurysm was formulated.

Conclusion

Popliteal venous aneurysms are rare conditions, but are potentially more common than usually thought in daily practice. Physician awareness and access to ultrasound examination may allow for early diagnosis, before the occurrence of any thromboembolic or other major complication.