[Cutaneous cholesterol emboli (author's transl)].

Fifty cases from the literature and one personal case of cutaneous cholesterol embioli are reviewed. These emboli come from abdominal atheromatous aotitis, sometimes complicated by aneurysm. The cholesterol micro-embolism is sometices induced by vascular surgery or arterial opacification. Male prevalence (47 cases) is evident. Alone or with visceral involvement, cutaneous lesions frequently simulate periarteritis nodosa: circumscribed to abdomen, thighs, legs, dorsum of the feet, the livedo reticularis is the most stricking feature associated or not with cutaneous nodes, purple toes, ulcers and gangrene. Histopathologic study is required for diagnosis: showing "negative" pictures of cholesterol cristals in an obliterating arteriolitis. Nevertheless special intetest is focused on a macrophagic granuloma centered in the vessel.