SYSTEMIC EMBOLISM AND AORTIC ATHEROMA - THE CONTRIBUTION OF TRANSESOPHAGEAL ECHOGRAPHY - A CASE OF SYSTEMIC EMBOLISM DUE TO CHOLESTEROL CRYSTALS

Systemic embolisms involving cholesterol crystals sometimes occur foll owing vascular catheterization and may be responsible for a variety of clinical signs. The authors report a case in which the etiological di agnosis included a transesophageal echography (TEE) which revealed ath eromatous plaques on the thoracic aorta which were probably responsibl e for the projections. It is possible that episodes of embolism, eithe r fibrinocruoric or due to the release of cholesterol crystals, arisin g from the thoracic aorta, have hitherto been underestimated by imagin g methods such as scans and angiographs. Further studies with TEE may make it possible to estimate the extent of this disorder.