[Multiple arterial lesions in von Recklinghausen's disease. A case]

Arterial lesions are thought to be rare in neurofibromatosis. In the case reported here full vascular exploration demonstrated diffuse lesions of the aorta, splenic artery, renal arteries, left internal carotid artery, right common iliac artery and arteries of the legs. This underlines the usefulness of thorough angiographic exploration when arterioplasty is envisaged in a patient with neurofibromatosis. Microscopic examination of an arterial biopsy specimen showed fibrodysplasia of the media associated with hyperplasia of the periarterial nerves, thus confirming that the lesions involved tissues of both mesodermal and neuroectodermal origins.