Acute limb ischemia from embolization of left ventricular pseudoaneurysm thrombus: a rare case report

Myocardial infarction (MI) can lead to a wide spectrum of mechanical complications. Left ventricular pseudoaneurysm (LVP) is a rare but serious complication of MI.

A 69-year-old woman with prior coronary artery bypass grafting and a remote history of inferolateral ST-elevation MI (STEMI) with failure to revascularize the left circumflex artery presented with gangrenous right toes that appeared 2 years after her STEMI. A computed tomography angiogram of the right lower extremity showed arterial occlusion and mild atherosclerotic disease. Echocardiography revealed a pseudoaneurysm with an adherent mural thrombus as the underlying cause of acute limb ischemia. The patient was started on heparin and cardiothoracic surgery was consulted but did not operate as the risk of surgery outweighed the benefit. On hospital day 3, the patient underwent amputation of her gangrenous toes as the tissue was nonviable. The patient remained stable during her hospital stay and was discharged on day 5 on long-term anticoagulation.

LVPs have a wide spectrum of presentations, from asymptomatic or nonspecific symptoms to thromboembolism with end-organ damage, such as in our case. Therefore, early diagnosis and management are of paramount importance. Our patient's prior coronary artery bypass grafting most likely helped in forming a fibrous pericardium that sealed the pseudoaneurysm and prevented its rupture.

STEMI requires close follow-up, especially in cases where revascularization is not achievable, as the risk of mechanical complications and mortality is high. Physicians should have a high suspicion for LVP in patients with prior MI, given its wide spectrum of presentations.