Leriche syndrome

Abstract

Leriche syndrome is a disease that is characterized by a thrombotic occlusion in the aorta, frequently in the renal artery distal. The classical symptoms of this syndrome include pain in the lower extremities emerging during activity (claudication), impalpability of the femoral pulses and impotency in male patients. The definitive diagnosis of claudication, due to insufficient circulation as well as neurogenic-caused claudication, is hard. Medical history, physical examination and monitoring methods are important for definitive diagnosis. Impalpability of bilateral femoral pulses in physical examination may be a sign of leriche syndrome. With colored doppler ultrasonography, it can be demonstrated in cases having Leriche syndrome that there is no circulation in both iliac arteries. In these patients, thrombotic occlusion of the aorta shall be confirmed by computed tomography angiography. This case that we present is a case of Leriche syndrome in which the patient came to the hospital with the complaint of claudication and was diagnosed with lumbar disc herniation. Since vascular pathologies were not considered in definitive diagnosis, the treatment was delayed and it resulted in mortality; for this reason it is important. In the case of patients coming to hospital with complaints of leg pain, the vascular pathologies shall be thought of in the definitive diagnosis and the clinicians, and in that way leading to the diagnosis, shall depend on detailed patient history and comprehensive physical examination.