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Cardioembolic stroke followed by isolated celiac artery thromboembolism

Yuko Tanaka1, Makoto Nakajima, Teruyuki Hirano

  • 1Department of Medicine, Kumamoto Rosai Hospital, Yatsushiro. u-kopin@med.uoeh-u.ac.jp

Internal Medicine (Tokyo, Japan)
|September 11, 2007
PubMed

Insights

A rare case of isolated celiac artery embolism occurred after an ischemic stroke in a patient with multiple cardiovascular conditions. This complication led to multi-organ failure and death, highlighting a previously unreported stroke complication.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Neurology
  • Gastroenterology

Background:

  • A 78-year-old male patient with a history of Parkinson's disease, paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, and congestive heart failure presented with acute ischemic stroke.
  • The patient was diagnosed with a cardioembolic stroke originating from a left ventricular thrombus and subsequently initiated on anticoagulant therapy.

Observation:

  • Several days after stroke onset and initiation of anticoagulation, the patient developed severe metabolic acidosis, acute kidney injury, and liver dysfunction.
  • Despite medical intervention, the patient's condition rapidly deteriorated, leading to death within 24 hours of symptom onset.

Findings:

  • Autopsy examination revealed an isolated embolism of the celiac artery, confirmed to have originated from the patient's left ventricular thrombus.
  • This represents the first documented instance of an isolated celiac artery embolism occurring as a complication following an acute ischemic stroke.

Implications:

  • This case highlights a rare but potentially fatal complication of cardioembolic stroke, emphasizing the importance of considering atypical embolic events.
  • The findings suggest that left ventricular thrombi can lead to embolic occlusion of visceral arteries, causing significant organ damage and mortality.
  • Further research may be warranted to understand the incidence and risk factors associated with isolated celiac artery embolism post-stroke.

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