Acute Total Occlusion of the Abdominal Aorta in an Elderly Patient with Atrial Fibrillation

Abstract

A 76-year-old man without regular anticoagulation therapy for his atrial fibrillation was found to have a complete occlusion of the abdominal aorta and bilateral iliac and femoral arteries, confirmed by multi-slice computed tomography angiography. Prompt diagnosis and immediate intervention are important to minimize complications and avoid fatal outcome whenever arterial occlusion is suspected or diagnosed.

• REFERENCES

• 1 Sheikhzadeh A, Ehlermann P. Atheromatous disease of the thoracic aorta and systemic embolism. Clinical picture and therapeutic challenge. Z Kardiol 2004; 93: 10-17 . 10.1007/s00392-004-1030-z
• 2 Poirée S, Monnier-Cholley L, Tubiana JM, Arrivé L. Acute abdominal aortic thrombosis in cancer patients. Abdom Imaging 2004; 29: 511-513
• 3 Kaushik S, Federle MP, Schur PH, Krishnan M, Silverman SG, Ros PR. Abdominal thrombotic and ischemic manifestations of the antiphospholipid antibody syndrome: CT findings in 42 patients. Radiology 2001; 218: 768-771 . 10.1148/radiology.218.3.r01fe43768
• 4 Gouin-Thibaut I, Samama MM. Venous thrombosis and cancer. Ann Biol Clin (Paris) 2000; 675-682
• 5 Cambria RP, Abbott WM. Acute arterial thrombosis of the lower extremity. Its natural history contrasted with arterial embolism. Arch Surg 1984; 119: 784-787 . 10.1001/archsurg.1984.01390190028006
• 6 Surowiec SM, Isiklar H, Sreeram S, Weiss VJ, Lumsden AB. Acute occlusion of the abdominal aorta. Am J Surg 1998; 76: 193-197 . 10.1016/S0002-9610(98)00129-9