Life-threatening Rupture of a Femoral Pseudoaneurysm after Cardiac Catheterization

Abstract

A pseudoaneurysm refers to a defect in the arterial wall, allowing communication of arterial blood with the adjacent extra-luminal space. Pseudoaneurysms result from traumatic arterial injury. With the increasing utilization of percutaneous arterial interventions, iatrogenic arterial injury has become the predominant cause of pseudoaneurysm formation. Rupture of the pseudoaneurysm comprises a vascular emergency. Clinical suspicion and imaging techniques are the cornerstones of timely diagnosis and appropriate management of the condition. Herein, we report the case of a 69 year-old woman who suffered a life-threatening profunda femoral artery pseudoaneurysm rupture after a routine cardiac catheterization, that was treated surgically.