Surgical treatment of aneurysm of the persistent sciatic artery.

Persistent sciatic artery (PSA) is a rare congenital malformation that is complicated by aneurysm formation in more than 25% of the reported cases. Two cases of aneurysm of the PSA are presented. Twenty-six aneurysms of the PSA, including our two cases, have been reported in the English literature in the last three decades. Early surgical treatment is warranted to decrease the 25% amputation rate associated with thromboembolic complications. The posterior, transgluteal repair of this aneurysm affords excellent exposure and avoids a long bypass graft, multiple incisions, and staged procedures. Magnetic resonance imaging may be helpful in preoperative evaluation of the feasibility of proximal, extrapelvic vascular control.