Iliac artery endofibrosis in a middle-aged female long-distance runner

Abstract

Exercise-induced iliac artery endofibrosis is a recently described abnormality of the external iliac artery that typically affects younger, healthy endurance athletes. Characteristic of the initially termed cyclist’s iliac syndrome is lower limb pain during exercise with rapid recovery after exercise. This clinically complicated case describes an older female long-distance runner in whom an incorrect diagnosis of fibromuscular dysplasia was originally made when she presented with claudication and thrombosis of the right external iliac artery. A thrombectomy and bilateral balloon angioplasty were performed; however, her symptoms persisted. Four months later, she unexpectedly complained of dual calf claudication, a diagnosis of exercise-induced iliac artery endofibrosis was made, and a bilateral prosthetic graft bypass procedure was performed, which resulted in a good outcome.