ABSTRACT
Popliteal artery entrampment is a rare condition, occurring in young subjects, that causes ischemia of the extremity. The anatomical background is the compression or occlussion of the popliteal artery caused by forced plantar or dorsal flexion. We report a 32 year-old sportsman who presented with gangrene of the right first toe and a history of three months of progressive claudication. The Ankle-Brachial index and pulse volume curve registries showed a severe ischemia below the knee. Angiography showed a medial deviation of the popliteal artery associated to stenosis and aneurysm formation. A CT scan of the contralateral artery was normal. The patient was operated using a posterior approach, performing a reverse saphenous vein bypass graft and excising the popliteal artery. The postoperative period was uneventful.