[Multiple cholesterol emboli syndrome: beneficial effects of early heparin therapy. A case report]

The multiple cholesterol emboli syndrome (MCES) is a rare, multi-organ disease than can occur spontaneously or after arterial or cardiac catheterization, arteriography, angioplasty, cardiovascular surgery, oral or intravenous anticoagulation, systemic fibrinolysis and cardiorespiratory resuscitation, predominantly in male subjects with disseminated atherosclerosis over the age of 60 years. Clinical signs of MCES vary considerably depending on the organs involved, but the signs most frequently encountered are renal failure, skin lesions (livedo reticularis, purple toc, ulcers, etc) and transient eosinophilia. Optimal treatment of this syndrome is controversial and is often symptomatic. However, the most effective measure remains prevention based on identification of high-risk patients, treatment with platelet antiaggregants and careful handling of catheters. This syndrome has a serious prognosis in the majority of cases. In this article, the authors describe a case of MCES. After thoracic aortography, this 73-years-old patient presented typical clinical sign of MCES (angina, cerebrovascular accident, bilateral blindness, transient renal failure and splenic infarction). The clinical course was favourable in response to heparin therapy and splenectomy and caudal pancreatectomy. Histology confirmed the presence of cholesterol emboli in the lumen of splenic arterioles. Except in the case of severe bleeding diathesis, the authors recommend early heparin therapy for MCES caused by catheterization, angioplasty or cardiovascular surgery. However, complementary studies must be performed to more clearly define the effects of heparin on MCES.