Salma Bensalah, Reda Benchekroun, Amina Outahayou, Loubna El Khadir, Sarah Loubaris, Lassana Konate, Rokaya Fellat
Journal: Medpeer Publisher
ISSN: 3066-2737
Volume: 2
Issue: 10
Date of Publication: 2025/10/28
Cardiac catheterization is a widely used and generally safe diagnostic procedure; however, rare but severe vascular complications may still occur. We report the case of a 66-year-old woman with multiple cardiovascular risk factors and a history of rheumatoid arthritis who was admitted for acute decompensated global heart failure. Diagnostic coronary angiography via the right femoral approach revealed a significant mid-left anterior descending artery stenosis. A few hours after the procedure, the patient developed right lower limb pain and cyanosis of the great toe. Doppler ultrasound and CT angiography demonstrated multiple occlusive thrombi involving the superficial femoral, popliteal, and tibioperoneal arteries. Despite urgent Fogarty thrombectomy, revascularization was unsuccessful, leading to below-knee amputation. This case illustrates a rare but serious complication of femoral artery access during cardiac catheterization. Awareness, early detection, and prompt intervention are essential to prevent irreversible ischemic injury and improve patient outcomes.
cardiac catheterization, vascular complication, femoral thrombosis, acute limb ischemia, amputation
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