OBJECTIVETo investigate the role of revascularization procedures with autologous greater saphenous vein in surgical management of iliac-femoral artery pseudoaneurysm in parenteral drug abusers.

METHODSTwenty-one patients with iliac-femoral artery pseudoaneurysm caused by parenteral drug abuse from 2004 to 2007 were enrolled. Among them, 15 patients were male and 6 were female; their average age was 31.3 years. The size of pseudoaneurysms ranged from 3.0 cm to 7.5 cm. Common femoral artery and distal external iliac artery were often involved. We performed arterial reconstruction on these patients with autologous greater saphenous vein as a graft after excising iliac-femoral artery pseudoaneurysm through a single curved inguinal incision. All patients were followed up, and the complications were recorded.

RESULTSThe surgical procedures were finished without intraoperative mortality or perioperative complications. All patients were free of claudication symptoms after the surgery except one case with preoperative popliteal artery stenosis. One case of infection and wound tissue fistula was found later. One case had inguinal incisional hematoma and another complained of numbness in thigh skin.

CONCLUSIONSThe use of autologous greater saphenous venous grafts for arterial reconstruction after pseudoaneurysm excision in drug abusers is safe and effective. This technique offers more advantages than arterial ligation alone without revascularization. An optimal greater saphenous venous graft is a prerequisite for revascularization.