Vascular Complications Caused by Tibial Osteochondroma: Focus on the Literature and Presentation of a Popliteal Artery Thrombosis with Acute Lower Limb Ischemia

Osteochondromas are common benign bone tumors, frequently found in adolescents or young adults. Most often asymptomatic and discovered by accidental findings, they may be diagnosed because of compression or dislocation. Vascular complications are an atypical presentation of osteochondromas, and include vessel perforation and thrombosis, arterial thromboembolic events and pseudoaneurysm formation. Popliteal artery thrombosis and acute lower limb ischemia caused by a tibial osteochondroma are rarely observed. Starting from a case of temporary lower extremity ischaemia caused by thrombosis of the subarticular popliteal artery due to an osteochondroma of the proximal tibial protruding in popliteal fossa, we focused a literature analysis on diagnostic and management aspects. A combined vascular-orthopedic approach was performed with intra-arterial locoregional thrombolytic therapy and then a surgical tangential resection of the tibial osteochondroma. The adequate approach for these patients includes clinical evaluation, plain radiographs, CT scan and MRI. The purpose of the present review article is to underline the importance of a combined vascular-orthopedic approach to correct diagnosis and prompt surgical management of vascular complications caused by tibial osteochondromas.