Should the Histological Examination Be Used in the Diagnosis of Aneurysms of the Dorsalis Pedis Artery? A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Abstract

Aneurysms of the dorsalis pedis artery are rare, and they are not commonly examined histologically. In general, pseudoaneurysms are thought to be more common than true aneurysms of the dorsalis pedis artery. We present a patient with a true aneurysm of the dorsalis pedis artery, which was initially diagnosed as a pseudoaneurysm that had developed because of a blunt trauma of the ankle. However, the intraoperative appearance and histological examination both confirmed a true aneurysm. Our experiences seem to confirm that postoperative histological examination is needed to distinguish pseudoaneurysms from true aneurysms of the dorsalis pedis artery. The treatment of aneurysms of the dorsalis pedis artery is simple and includes resection, which completely relieves the symptoms; few patients need vascular reconstructions.