I72: Other aneurysm and dissection

I72.4: Aneurysm and dissection of artery of lower extremity

Arteries are blood vessels that transport blood away from the heart. They supply all the tissue in the body with oxygen-rich blood. An artery in your leg is wider than normal, or there is a tear in the blood vessel wall. This vascular wall consists of 3 layers. The inner layer can tear. As a result, blood can get in between the layers of the vascular wall. This can occur, for example, when someone has persistent high blood pressure, or if the vascular wall weakens.

This widening of a blood vessel usually goes unnoticed. A tear in the vascular wall can cause pain.