South Dakota medicine : the journal of the South Dakota State Medical Association
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In this case report, we describe an unusual episode of bilateral submassive pulmonary embolism (PE) caused by a popliteal vein aneurysm (PVA). The development of PE stems from many risk factors including obesity (BMI³ 30 kg/m2), hypertension, cigarette smoking (greater than 25 cigarettes per day), increasing age, surgery, immobility, malignancy, and inherited thrombophilia. A PVA is a rare but significant cause of PE. ⋯ The definitive management of a PVA is surgical repair. Some studies suggest recurrent PE in as high as 80 percent of patients on oral anticoagulation alone. Therefore, an IVC filter is often placed to prevent further thrombi progression until definitive surgical treatment of the aneurysm has been performed.