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Chronic Complete Distal Aortic Occlusion and Pulmonary Embolism-Atypical Antiphospholipid Syndrome?

Simona Caraiola1,2, Laura Voicu1, Dragoș Cașu1

  • 1Third Internal Medicine Department, Colentina Clinical Hospital, 020125 Bucharest, Romania.

Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland)
|April 13, 2023
PubMed

Insights

A 42-year-old female with antiphospholipid syndrome experienced chronic aortic occlusion. This rare case highlights a combination of atherosclerosis and thrombosis as a potential cause, emphasizing diagnostic challenges.

Area of Science:

  • Vascular Surgery
  • Cardiovascular Pathology
  • Rheumatology

Background:

  • Complete aortic occlusion is a rare condition, often attributed to atherosclerosis.
  • Other potential causes include thrombosis and vasculitis.
  • Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) can present with thrombotic events.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To report a unique case of chronic complete distal aortic occlusion in a young female patient.
  • To explore the potential role of antiphospholipid syndrome in aortic occlusion.
  • To discuss diagnostic challenges and treatment outcomes for this rare condition.

Main Methods:

  • Case report of a 42-year-old female with chronic intermittent claudication.
  • Diagnostic workup included arteriography revealing infrarenal aortic occlusion.
  • Surgical intervention involved aortoiliac bypass grafting.

Main Results:

  • The patient presented with symptoms of chronic aortic occlusion and pulmonary embolism.
  • Antiphospholipid antibodies and a history suggestive of APS were identified.
  • Arteriography confirmed complete infrarenal aortic occlusion with collateral circulation.

Conclusions:

  • This case illustrates an unusual etiology of chronic aortic occlusion, likely a combination of atherosclerosis and chronic thrombosis in a young patient with APS.
  • Delayed diagnosis was attributed to the complex interplay of clinical features.
  • Aortoiliac bypass surgery was successfully performed, offering a treatment option for such rare presentations.

Keywords:
antiphospholipid syndromeaortic occlusionatherosclerosispulmonary embolismthrombosis

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