Popliteal artery entrapment syndrome is caused by external compression of vascular structures in the fossa poplitea. In most cases it manifests as lower extremity claudication.
Early diagnosis and treatment may prevent artery damage, which would most often lead to aneurysmatic dilatation of the artery with possible onset of thrombosis and next may lead to embolization into the peripheral arteries, which would manifest as peripheral artery disease. This article is an overview of this problematics and a case report.