[Symptomatic livedo racemosa in cholesterol embolism with occlusion of the arterioles in the area of the corium-subcutis].

We report on a 70-year-old woman suffering from diabetes mellitus dependent on insulin and associated with malignant hypertension. Following heart catheter examination for the dilatation of the renal arteries, she developed acute, painful, persistent livedo racemosa of the buttocks and the lower extremities. Histological investigation revealed embolism of cholesterol crystals in arterioles of the corium-subcutis region. On the basis of the cases described in the literature so far, we discuss the clinical spectrum of cutaneous cholesterol embolism.