title: Intestinal cholesterol embolism resulting from intra-aortic balloon pumping: a case report.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Intra-aortic balloon pumping is used in elective percutaneous coronary intervention for increasing coronary blood flow. However, intra-aortic balloon pumping may decrease visceral blood flow and cause mesenteric ischemia by visceral artery obstruction.
  
  
  METHODS
  We report the case of a 79-year-old Asian man in whom elective percutaneous coronary intervention was performed with intra-aortic balloon pumping. He died from mesenteric ischemia 25 hours after the procedure. Microscopic findings showed that intra-aortic balloon pumping had detached the aortic plaque, breaking it into systemic emboli, leading to subsequent intestinal ischemia and necrosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We conclude that intra-aortic balloon pumping can cause an intestinal cholesterol embolism.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Tomishiro Central Hospital, 25 Ueta, Tomishiro-shi, Okinawa, Japan. satoshi-yamaguchi@umin.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yamaguchi
authors.forename: Masanori
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kakazu
authors.forename: Arasaki
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Osamu
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D017700:Embolism, Cholesterol / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D007422:Intestines / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000473:pathology; D007423:Intra-Aortic Balloon Pumping / Q000009:adverse effects*; D007511:Ischemia / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D009336:Necrosis