Popliteal artery entrapment syndrome secondary to a femoral osteochondroma.

Background: Osteochondromas (or exostoses) are the most common benign tumors of the bone. Vascular complications of these tumors are rare but have been increasingly reported in recent literature.

Aim: Throughout an unusual case report of popliteal artery entrapment syndrome secondary to a femoral osteochondroma, we highlight the necessity of thorough clinical and radiological examinations as well as meticulous and prompt surgical resection.

Case Report: A 27-year-old male patient, who had been diagnosed with multiple osteochondromas and had never been operated on, presented with a one-year history of exercise-induced left calf pain, paresthesias of the left leg and pallor in cold weather. After radiographic and Computed Tomography angiographic evaluation, we diagnosed distal femur osteochondroma associated with an arterial compression of the left popliteal artery. A surgical treatment of all lesions was performed. No operative complications occurred. The pain was relieved. Good postoperative results have been noticed.

Conclusion: Popliteal aretery entrapment syndrome may be caused by solitary or multiple osteochondromas around the knee. Therefore, prophylactic resection of exostoses in the surrounding area of a vessel should be performed. Moreover, the orthopedic surgeon should consider and prevent vascular complications during surgical resection of knee osteochondromas.