Aneurysms of the Peripheral Arteries

Aneurysms of the aorta, both in the thorax and abdominal segments, have been well studied. This is in part due to relatively easy access for examination, the high rate of incidence, and noninvasive imaging techniques that are readily available in most places. There is little data on systemic arterial aneurysm incidence, natural history or treatment that was obtained in a prospective or randomized method. In sharp contrast, systemic aneurysms are for the most part rare and therefore less likely to be imaged, let alone studied.1 The literature available is primarily retrospective series, literature reviews, and case reports. While accurate and well written, a great many questions are left open for systematic study. With these limitations in mind, this chapter should be read critically and applied to patient care with conservative creativity