ABSTRACT
A cholesterol embolism is a systemic disease resulting from the occlusion of arteries by cholesterol crystals released from atheromatous plaques. It has been associated with inflammation, sheering forces from blood flow due to hypertension, aneurysm formation, infection, mechanical manipulation during surgery or vascular procedures, and anticoagulation. We report a case of a cutaneous cholesterol embolism in a 66-year old man who had purpuric skin lesions on both feet associated with diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and anticoagulation for a cerebral infarction.
Subject(s)
Aneurysm , Arteries , Cerebral Infarction , Cholesterol , Diabetes Mellitus , Embolism, Cholesterol , Foot , Hypertension , Inflammation , Plaque, Atherosclerotic , SkinABSTRACT
Cutaneous cholesterol embolism is a disease due to the embolism of cholesterol crystals from ulcerated atheromatous plaques to peripheral vessels of the skin. It has been associated with major vessel surgery, angiography, angioplasty, intra-aortic balloon pump placement, anticoagulation, thrombolytic therapy and cardiopulmonary resuscitation. In addition, it may occur spontaneously. In paraffin-fixed sections, the cholesterol crystals are dissolved and leave needle-like clefts within the lumina of arterioles. We report a case of cutaneous cholesterol embolism in a 72-year-old woman who had purplish gangrenous lesions on both her feet after coronary angiography and percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty.