SPONTANEOUS CORONARY-ARTERY EMBOLUS ASSOCIATED WITH CALCIFIC AORTIC-STENOSIS

Calcific embolization from aortic stenosis may be more frequent than c ommonly appreciated. Most calcific emboli are clinically silent, altho ugh transient ischemic attacks, cerebral infarcts, blindness (from cen tral retinal artery occlusions), and myocardial infarctions have been reported. We describe a patient with calcific bicuspid aortic stenosis who presented with transient ischemic attacks and angina secondary to a calcific embolus to the second circumflex marginal coronary artery. The calcific embolus was retrieved during aortic valve replacement su rgery. A review of the literature suggests that calcific embolization from calcific aortic stenosis may occur more commonly in patients with bicuspid valves.