Calcified aortic plug syndrome.

Five women are described with an extremely rare manifestation of atherosclerosis. All presented with upper extremity hypertension and diminished femoral pulses. Three had intermittent claudication. Plain radiography and arteriography demonstrated focal, heavily calcified, mass-like, obstructing lesions that caused a functional coarctation of the aorta. These lesions involved both the thoracic and abdominal aorta. Three patients had visceral artery involvement. Atherosclerosis was diagnosed in the four patients who underwent endarterectomy or bypass surgery.