Common femoral artery erosion as a source of thromboembolic acute limb ischemia

We have reported a case of delayed hip prosthetic erosion into the common femoral artery (CFA) 3 years after implantation. The patient had initially presented with left lower extremity acute limb ischemia secondary to a popliteal artery embolism. However, the metal artifact around the hip joint prevented CFA evaluation using conventional imaging. Diagnostic angiography with intraoperative intravascular ultrasound revealed CFA dilatation with adherent intraluminal thrombus. Open surgical repair showed hip prosthesis erosion through the posterior wall of the CFA. Our findings emphasize the necessity for a thorough, multimodal embolic workup and the usefulness of intravascular ultrasound as an adjunctive tool for intravascular anatomy evaluation.