Saddle embolism of aorta.

Aortic saddle embolus is a rare but serious form of arterial embolisation in patients with myocardial infarction. Four patients with aortic saddle embolism with peripheral propagation of the clott are reported. Two patients had suffered an attack of acute anterior myocardial infarction (one and four weeks respectively) prior to the embolic episode. One patient had a transmural myocardial infarct five years ago, and the 4th patient had dilated cardiomyopathy. The onset was sudden, marked by pain, parasthesias, pallor, pulselessness in three patients, and gradual in one. Two of the three patients (both females) in whom clott migration occured in only one limb developed below-knee gangrene of the affected side. In one patient (a young male) clott migration occurred in both popliteal arteries and the limbs were spared from developing gangrene although he continues to have leg angina. One patient presented with intermittent calf claudication only. All our patients reported late due to which none could be subjected to embolectomy.