Severe systemic cholesterol embolization after open heart surgery.

Cholesterol crystal embolization (CCE) may be triggered by various factors: intra-arterial angiographic procedures, aortic or vascular surgery, anticoagulant or thrombolytic treatments, or both. There are few previous reports of patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) experiencing and therefore displaying severe systemic CCE. We describe four patients presenting, shortly after CABG, cutaneous, renal, neurological and hepatic signs related to severe CCE confirmed by skin biopsy. All patients died 11-92 days after surgery. As systemic CCE reveals severe atheromatous disease and is associated with a poor prognosis, it is advisable to avoid CABG in patients who present symptoms of CCE before surgery.