Peripheral arterial occlusion in acute promyelocytic leukemia

A 16-year-old Caucasian teenager developed fatigue, abdominal pain, pneumon ia, and subsequently acute vascular occlusion of the left superficial femor al artery. Vascular assessment and heparin therapy lead to bone marrow aspi ration and a diagnosis of acute promyelocytic leukemia. Treatment with chem otherapy prevented loss of limb and avoided further vascular surgery. Young patients with acute vascular occlusion require an in-depth assessment incl uding attention to hematological disorders. Clots obtained on thromboembole ctomy should be sent for pathological assessment and not discarded. especia lly in an unusual-age patient for arterial embolus. (C) 1999 The internatio nal Society for Cardiovascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.