[Subclavian floating thrombus responsible for encephalo-digital syndrome. 2 cases]

Two patients developed acute, evolutive ulcerations of the fingers simultaneously with acute, transient insufficiency of the vertebral and basilar arteries. Emergency angiography or the aortic arch showed no obvious lesion, but in both cases selective exploration of the subclavian vessels demonstrated the presence of a small floating thrombus giving rise to a "shower" of emboli. The diagnosis was confirmed and the thrombi excised by surgery through the subclavian route. Multiple emboli in different territories are usually due to heart diseases. Our cases suggest that the possibility of a subclavian thrombus should be borne in mind and that in patients with normal hearts the supra-aortic vessels should be adequately explored by angiography.