Persistent sciatic artery an incidental finding

Abstract

Persistent sciatic artery is a direct continuation of the internal iliac artery. It is a rare anatomic variant where the sciatic artery does not regress during fetal development. We present a case of a 43-year-old male with a right leg ulcer who has an incidental finding of persistent sciatic artery on Computed Tomography (CT) of the thigh with Intravenous (IV) contrast to evaluate for abscess formation. A major complication seen in some patients with persistent sciatic artery is aneurysm formation which predispose patients to limb-threatening thromboembolism. Asymptomatic cases such as this case require no intervention apart from follow up.

Keywords

• Sciatic artery
• Aneurysm
• Persistent