The Infrapopliteal Arterial Occlusions Similar to Buerger Disease: Report of Two Cases

We herein present two cases that required the differential diagnosis of Buerger disease. Case 1 involved a 55-year-old male with a smoking habit who was admitted with ulcers and coldness in his fingers and toes. Angiography showed blockage in both the radial and posterior tibial arteries, which led to an initial diagnosis of Buerger disease. However, a biopsy of the right posterior tibial artery showed pathological findings of fibromuscular dysplasia (FMD). Case 2 involved a 28-year-old male with intermittent claudication who was examined at another hospital. Angiography showed occlusion of both popliteal and crural arteries, and the patient was suspected to have Buerger disease. However, computed tomography disclosed an abnormal slip on both sides of the popliteal fossa, and we diagnosed him with bilateral popliteal artery entrapment syndrome (PAES). These cases illustrate that other occlusive diseases, such as FMD and PAES, may sometimes be misdiagnosed as Buerger disease.

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