Popliteal artery entrapment syndrome treated by a posterior approach in a 15-year-old athlete

Popliteal artery entrapment syndrome is a rare source of claudication in young people. We present the case of a 15-year-old male athlete who presented with intermittent numbness of his right foot with exertion. Imaging revealed classic compression from a right type III popliteal artery entrapment. The left popliteal artery was chronically occluded with a large collateral vessel. He underwent release of the accessory bands of the gastrocnemius muscle with significant arteriolysis on the right side via a posterior approach. Chronic popliteal artery entrapment can be treated from a posterior approach, resulting in arterial occlusion and will be asymptomatic if well collateralized.