Bilateral intermittent claudication and the aorta

Abstract

With the increasing utilization of imaging strategies such as transesophageal echocardiography and magnetic resonance imaging, thrombi of the aorta are becoming increasingly recognized as sources of peripheral emboli. This report describes a 70-year-old man with bilateral intermittent claudication. Arteriography revealed occlusion of the distal part of the right tibialis posterior artery and the left tibialis anterior artery, but no occlusive atherosclerotic disease of the iliac, femoral, or popliteal artery. Additionally, no calcification of the vessels could be demonstrated. In contrast, a giant thrombus of the descending aorta was identified as the source of systemic thromboembolism. The patient was treated successfully with long-term anticoagulation.

Spontaneous left subclavian artery dissection with concurrent thrombosis and embolic occlusion of the lower limbs: Report of a case

“…A localized thrombus in the normal thoracic aorta is rare and has been reported. [9][10][11] Atherosclerotic plaques of the aortic arch are considered to be a rare cause of thrombo-embolic events, 12 and the current patient may have minute atherosclerotic plaque at the descending thoracic aorta near the orifi ce of the subclavian artery because calcifi cation could be seen on CT angiograms. That may be another reason why the thrombus extended toward the aortic lumen from the subclavian artery.…”