Persistent sciatic artery is a rare anatomical variation whose clinical course is potentially serious, since diagnosis is performed when clinical complications are already present. Such complications are a consequence of the fact that sciatic artery walls have a tendency to atherosclerotic degeneration with aneurysmal formation and may evolve to occlusive thrombosis or to thromboembolism. This article reports the case of a female patient with complaint of intense pain secondary to extrinsic compression of the sciatic nerve by aneurysmal dilatation of the right lower member and hyperpulsatile ipsilateral buttock. Angiographic examination was carried through, showing complete persistent sciatic artery to the right lower member with an aneurysm. The patient was submitted to a surgical procedure using a transgluteal approach and a termino-terminal Dacron graft was interposed between the proximal and distal necks of the aneurysm. The technical aspects and review of literature on diagnosis and therapeutic approach of this anatomical variation are discussed in this work.
Persistent sciatic artery; sciatic artery aneurysm; surgical correction; peripheral ischemia
