RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Cholesterol crystal embolism (CCE) is a rare disorder which can complicate cardiac catheterization, angiographic studies and cardiovascular surgery. The CCE exposes to a great risk of renal failure and it can even threaten life by means of a multi visceral failing syndrome. AIM: Report a new case of CCE following cardiac catheterization. CASE: We report the observation of a 63-year-old patient who had a coronary angiography via the right femoral artery after a myocardial infarction. This examination has showed a multi-vessel coronary disease. 15 days later, the patient presented purplish and painful discoloration of his toes. The laboratory findings showed a mild inflammatory syndrome and eosinophilia at 700 / microL. There was not a renal dysfunction nor proteinuria nor hematuria. We performed a skin biopsy and made the diagnosis of CCE. Trans oesophageal echography objectified an irregular atherosclerotic plaque in the isthmic aorta. The CT scan revealed a spindle-shaped aneurysm in the end of the abdominal aorta. This aneurysm contains a marginal surrounding thrombosis with high embolic risk. The patient was put under clopidogrel, enoxaparin, simvastatin, colchicine and atenolol and operated successfully. CONCLUSION: The two particularities of this observation are, on one hand, the absence of a renal involvement, which represents the main prognostic factor of the CCE. On the other hand, the CCE has revealed a very unstable aneurysm of the aorta which could be complicated during the cardiac catheterisation. The CCE is a difficult diagnosis that must be remembered before any cardiac catheterisation, because it often reflects unstable aortic atherosclerotic lesions.