Advertise with MJA Classifieds

  eMJA     The Medical Journal of Australia

Home | Issues | eMJA shop | Classifieds | Contact | More... | Topics | Search | Login | Buy full access   

 Previous | Next 

→ Contents list for this issue

Snapshots

Traumatic false aneurysm in the popliteal artery of a child

Dorothy J Radford
Deputy Director of Cardiology
The Prince Charles Hospital, Brisbane, QLD

MJA 2001; 175: 658

 
Christmas photo A THREE-YEAR-OLD BOY from a Papua New Guinea village was injured by a spear, which penetrated the posterior aspect of his left leg. His family recalled that there was very little bleeding when it was withdrawn. The skin wound healed, and, although a lump developed, it was not limiting him. However, the size of the swelling gradually increased, and by age nine years he had a large, smooth, tense mass in his left leg (Figure). Ultrasonography showed swirling spontaneous echo-contrast within a large cavity. Traumatic false aneurysm of the popliteal artery was diagnosed. Surgical correction was successful, and a year later, when follow-up was attempted, he could not be found, as he was out with the boys hunting pigs. Trauma is an uncommon cause of popliteal artery false aneurysm. It has rarely been recorded in children in Western societies, and then usually in association with gunshot wounds.

©MJA 2001
Make a comment

Home | Issues | eMJA shop | Terms of use | Classifieds | More... | Contact | Topics | Search

The Medical Journal of Australia    eMJA  


Readers may print a single copy for personal use. No further reproduction or distribution of the articles should proceed without the permission of the publisher. For permission, contact the Australasian Medical Publishing Company.
Journalists are welcome to write news stories based on what they read here, but should acknowledge their source as "an article published on the Internet by The Medical Journal of Australia <http://www.mja.com.au>".
<URL: http://www.mja.com.au/> © 2001 Medical Journal of Australia.