Cholesterol embolism: experience with 22 histologically proven cases.

The records of 22 patients, aged 61 to 85 years, with histologically proven cholesterol embolism (CE) were reviewed. All had one or more risk factors. Twenty-one patients had preexisting symptomatic or recognized atherosclerotic disease. Twenty patients had one or more identifiable precipitating factors, including warfarin administration (4), angiography (15), angioplasty (2), intra-aortic balloon pump placement (2), vascular surgery (11),...