Yokochi Y, Ikeda H, Tanimura M, Osuki T, Uezato M, Kinosada M, Kurosaki Y, Chin M. Aortogenic calcified cerebral embolism diagnosed with an embolus retrieved by thrombectomy: illustrative case.
J Neurosurg Case Lessons 2024;
7:CASE2499. [PMID:
38560945 PMCID:
PMC10988230 DOI:
10.3171/case2499]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2024] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Calcified cerebral embolism has been reported as a cause of acute cerebral infarction, but an aortogenic origin has rarely been identified as the embolic source. The authors describe a case of aortogenic calcified cerebral embolism in a patient with other embolic sources.
OBSERVATIONS
In a patient with cerebral infarction and atrial fibrillation, a white hard embolus was retrieved by mechanical thrombectomy. Pathological analysis of the embolus revealed that it was mostly calcified, with some foam cells and giant cells. The macroscopic and pathological findings allowed the authors to finally diagnose an aortogenic calcified cerebral embolism.
LESSONS
Even in patients with cardiogenic embolic sources, it is possible to identify a complex aortic atheroma with calcification as the embolic source, based on the macroscopic and pathological findings of the embolus retrieved by mechanical thrombectomy.
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