Adductor canal compression syndrome in an 18-year-old female patient leading to acute critical limb ischemia: A case report

BACKGROUND: Adductor canal compression syndrome is a rare non-atherosclerotic cause of arterial occlusion and limb ischemia. PRESENTATION OF CASE: The patient is an 18-year-old healthy female who presented to the emergency department with acute left lower extremity ischemia. Her symptoms began as sudden onset mild foot pain approximately two months ago. Over the 72 h prior to presentation, she developed severe pain, pallor, paralysis, loss of pedal pulses, paresthesia, and poikilothermia. Due to her advanced ischemia, she was taken immediately to the operating room for angiography and intervention. Initial angiography demonstrated distal superficial femoral and popliteal artery occlusions along with lack of tibial or pedal artery blood flow. She underwent percutaneous mechanical thrombectomy and initiation of catheter directed thrombolysis. After 48 h of catheter directed thrombolysis and repeat mechanical thrombectomy, computed tomography (CT) was performed and demonstrated external compression of the superficial femoral artery in the adductor canal and residual chronic thrombus. Echocardiography and CT of the thoracic aorta was also performed, and were negative, therefore excluding other potential sources of arterial embolism. She next underwent surgical exploration, division of an anomalous musculotendinous band compressing the left superficial femoral artery and thromboendarterectomy of the distal left superficial femoral artery. The patient recovered well without any post-operative complications and could return to her daily activities 3 weeks following surgery. CONCLUSION: Knowledge of rare non-atherosclerotic vascular disorders, such as adductor canal compression syndrome, is paramount when treating patients who present with limb ischemia and lack traditional risk factors.