[Aneurysm of the popliteal vein. A rare cause of recurrent pulmonary embolism].

Popliteal vein aneurysm, a rarely observed, apparently benign lesion may nevertheless be the cause of disabling pulmonary emboli. Two personal cases and 13 reported in the literature are reviewed. Detected during phlebography of lower limbs during investigation of a pulmonary embolus, the aneurysm, of a sacciform shape, was located above the interline of the knee and often contained a thrombus: this site of onset facing the calf "venous pump" makes it an "experimental" emboligenic focus. The pulmonary embolus is a serious affection since it is repetitive: a pulmonary scan showed dissemination in the two fields of the hypovascularized zones. Identification of an acute or chronic cor pulmonale was a routine finding and a paradoxical embolus in the arterial territory was observed twice. Local surgery (venous repair or exclusion of the aneurysm) can be performed in association with anticoagulant therapy, but partial interruption of inferior vena cava appears to be the safer method of avoiding a recurrent embolus, which may be fatal.