title: Peripheral arterial occlusion in acute promyelocytic leukemia.
abstract: A 16-year-old Caucasian teenager developed fatigue, abdominal pain, pneumonia, and subsequently acute vascular occlusion of the left superficial femoral artery. Vascular assessment and heparin therapy lead to bone marrow aspiration and a diagnosis of acute promyelocytic leukemia. Treatment with chemotherapy prevented loss of limb and avoided further vascular surgery. Young patients with acute vascular occlusion require an in-depth assessment including attention to hematological disorders. Clots obtained on thromboembolectomy should be sent for pathological assessment and not discarded, especially in an unusual-age patient for arterial embolus.
authors.affiliation: Allegheny University Hospitals/Allegheny University of the Health Sciences, Medical College of Pennsylvania/Hahnemann University, Philadelphia 19102-1192, USA.
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: DiGiovanni
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Crilley
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Kerstein
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D005263:Femoral Artery; D006801:Humans; D015473:Leukemia, Promyelocytic, Acute / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery