Emboligenic aortopathies. Cholesterol embolisms: surgical treatment]

Emboligenic aortopathies are defined as lesions of the aortic wall leading to the production of thromboatheromatous material which can migrate in fragments or entirely. Emboligenic aortopathy can occur in all parts of the aorta. Localized lesions are rare and usually involve the subrenal abdominal aorta or the isthma. Diffuse lesions involving several segments of the aorta are encountered more often. There are three anatomic types of lesions: ulcerated plaques, atheromatous ulcerations, an evrysmal disease of the aorta. Therapeutic indications depend on: 1) clinical presentation: fibrinocruoric emboli, distal microemboli, disseminated cholesterol emboli; 2) the unique or multiple nature of the emboli; 3) the anatomic lesion; 4) localization.