Bilateral internal carotid artery occlusions in a pediatric patient with refractory acute myeloid leukemia

Abstract

Thromboembolism is a well-known complication of cancer including acute myeloid leukemia (AML) especially in patients with high myeloblast counts. However, spontaneous vaso-occlusion in the main arteries is very rare especially in patients with low blast counts and no pre existing vasculopathy. We report the case of a 3-year-old male with refractory AML who developed spontaneous bilateral internal carotid artery occlusion with diffuse cerebral infarcts. Strokes are rarely secondary to spontaneous carotid artery thrombosis and few cases have been reported in the literature. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.