Leg ulceration and the cholesterol embolus.

An important and frequently overlooked cause of leg ulcers are cholesterol emboli. A 79-year-old woman with a non-healing leg ulcer is described. The diagnosis of cholesterol embolism was made with the aid of a deep biopsy of the ulcer and serial sectioning of the specimen. This report serves to illustrate the importance of considering cholesterol embolism when evaluating a chronic leg ulcer, and the diagnostic value of proper biopsy techniques.