Cystic Adventitial Disease of the Common Femoral Vein Successfully Treated with Resection, Synthetic Graft Reconstruction, and Fistula Creation

Cystic Adventitial Disease of the Common Femoral Vein Presenting with Lower Limb Swelling: A Case Report

Cystic adventitial disease (CAD) is a rare vascular disorder predominantly seen in adults without cardiovascular risk factors. We report a case of CAD involving the common femoral vein in a 38-year-old female presented with right lower extremity swelling that was initially misdiagnosed as deep vein thrombosis (DVT). A computed tomography revealed a cystic structure that compressed the right common femoral vein with resultant severe stenosis of the vascular lumen. Complete evacuation of the cyst with excision of the cyst wall was performed, and the patient remained symptom-free at 3 year follow-up. This case highlighted that the rare venous CAD should be incorporated in the differential diagnosis of unilateral lower extremity swelling suspicious for a DVT. Complete evacuation and surgical excision of the cyst often conferred favorable clinical outcome.

Adventitial Cystic Disease of the Popliteal Vein, a Rare Cause of Lower Limb Deep Vein Thrombosis

Introduction

Cystic adventitial disease (CAD) is characterised by the accumulation of gelatinous fluid within the adventitial layer of a blood vessel. Over 90% of CAD occurs in the arterial system. Venous CAD most commonly involves the iliofemoral rather than the popliteal segments.

Report

This is the report of a 49 year old female patient with a previous right leg deep vein thrombosis (DVT). She presented to a vascular outpatient appointment with recurrent right lower extremity swelling. Venous duplex ultrasound showed an ectatic and incompetent right popliteal vein. Computed tomography (CT) venography showed focal ectasia of the right popliteal vein resulting from an eccentric low density cyst with a diameter of 15 mm. Under general anaesthesia, the patient was placed in the prone position. A lazy S incision was performed in the right popliteal fossa. The popliteal vein had an eccentrically thickened lateral bulge. After heparinisation, a longitudinal venotomy, endophlebectomy, and en bloc cyst removal were performed sequentially. Popliteal patch venoplasty was performed subsequently using the ipsilateral small saphenous vein. After six months, the patient remains on rivaroxaban. A follow up venous duplex ultrasound showed vein reflux through a standard calibre popliteal vein without evidence of cyst recurrence.

Conclusion

Venous CAD is a rare disease and should be considered if previous DVT or symptoms mimicking DVT occur. Cyst resection and reconstruction with vein patch, venous or synthetic graft is the most commonly used strategy and has lower rates of cyst recurrence and need for re-operation.

•

Venous cystic adventitial disease is rare.

•

Adventitial vein cysts may cause oedema and vein thrombosis.

•

Venous ultrasound is the first diagnostic test.

•

Complete cyst wall excision is crucial to prevent recurrence.

Adventitial cystic disease of the common femoral vein: an unusual cause of lower extremity swelling and review of the literature

We report the case of a 61-year-old man who had presented with acute unilateral limb swelling. Computed tomography venography and duplex ultrasound demonstrated compression of the right common femoral vein by a common femoral vein adventitial cyst. Before intervention, the patient had developed an acute deep vein thrombosis of the right common femoral vein and great saphenous vein. Preoperative magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated concern for synovial connection. After 6 months of anticoagulation therapy, the patient underwent adventitial cyst excision with ligation of the hip joint articular connection. At 4 months postoperatively, the patient was symptom free without cyst recurrence. The findings from the present case support the synovial theory for adventitial cystic disease.