Cystic adventitial disease of the popliteal artery

CYSTIC ADVENTITIAL DISEASE OF THE POPLITEAL ARTERY

Cystic adventitial disease (CAD) is a rare cause of unilateral intermittent claudication of unknown aetiology, which is characterized by the formation of multiple mucin-filled cysts in the adventitial layer of the arterial wall resulting in obstruction to blood flow. The disease predominantly presents in young otherwise healthy males and most commonly affects the popliteal artery (85% of cases). CAD can be diagnosed by duplex ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging, magnetic resonance angiography, or computed tomographic angiography. Surgery is the primary mode of treatment, including exarterectomy, or replacement of the affected vascular segment by venous or synthetic interposition graft. Alternatively, the cysts can be drained by percutaneous ultrasound-guided needle aspiration. We conducted a review of the literature on the aetiology, diagnosis and treatment of this uncommon condition and present the case report.