The Coral Reef Aorta: Diagnosis and Treatment Following CT
Kamden Kopani, Selena Liao, Kitt Shaffer
Abstract
The Coral Reef Aorta is a rare phenomenon of extreme calcification in the juxtarenal and suprarenal aorta. The calcifications are often similar in appearance to growths of hyperplastic bone, though abnormalities in serum calcium aren’t found. [1] Consequences may include severe downstream ischemic and embolic events involving the viscera and the lower extremities, as well as endovascular operative complications. In this report we present a case of Coral Reef Aorta in a 73 year old man who experienced renal ischemia and surgical difficulties during attempted stent placement. We propose that preoperative review of vascular imaging with explicit attention to the presence of Coral Reef-like plaques can prevent intraoperative and postoperative morbidity. Furthermore, heightened awareness of the existence of these plaques on routine reads of abdominal CT or vascular imaging may prompt clinicians to enact early prophylaxis against later ischemic events.
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