Cholesterol embolism in a patient with inflammatory abdominal aortic aneurysm

A 66-year-old man whose renal function had progressively deteriorated had a n elevated blood pressure and also was found to have an inflammatory abdomi nal aortic aneurysm (AAA). Blood examination revealed that he had eosinophi lia. Livedo reticularis of the toes developed, and a skin biopsy specimen s howed embolization of atheromatous plaques in the arterioles of the subcuta neous tissue. Progressive enlargement of inflammatory AAA may have dislodge d the atheromatous plaques, resulting in cholesterol embolism.