Pseudoaneurysm of the popliteal artery after hardware removal in a patient with Marfan syndrome.

The formation of pseudoaneuryms after orthopaedic procedures in the setting of connective tissue disorders such as Marfan syndrome (MFS) is not well documented in the literature. We report the case of a seventy-one year old male with MFS who underwent uncomplicated distal interlocking screw removal from a femoral cephalomedullary nail for symptomatic hardware. Five weeks later, he presented with a popliteal artery pseudoaneurysm. The patient underwent successful open ligation and excision of the pseudoaneurysm. This is the first reported case of a popliteal artery pseudoaneurysm following orthopaedic hardware removal in a patient with MFS. MFS may predispose patients to peripheral vascular complications even in the most routine cases. A thorough understanding of the patient and complications associated with MFS is required prior to proceeding with elective orthopaedic surgery.