A 10-year review of false aneurysms in Nottingham

Over a 10-year period, twenty-nine patients who developed false aneurysms were reviewed retrospectively. The diagnosis was delayed for as long as 7 months in the eight patients who developed aneurysms following trauma. However, all these patients had an excellent outcome after surgery. The results were also good in patients with non-infected false aneurysms after vascular reconstruction, with 17 of the 19 patients having the affected limb saved by remedial surgery. The main principle of remedial surgery was to perform the simplest surgical procedure possible. The results in infected false aneurysms were poor and management should be considered along the lines laid down for graft infection. The incidence of false aneurysms may be reduced by the use of suitable non-absorbable sutures, prevention of tension at an anastomosis and prevention of infection. However, degeneration of the arterial wall is thought to be a major cause of false aneurysms and is, of course, beyond control. Recent technical advances such as digital subtraction angiography, labelled leucocyte scanning and computed tomography have all contributed to improvements in the management of false aneurysms.