Coarctation of the Aorta and Other Late Sequelae of Administration of Thorium Dioxide (Thorotrast)

Abstract

Coarctation of the aorta secondary to a cervicomediastinal thorotrastoma developed in a 30-year-old man 25 years after carotid arteriography. Other local manifestations of the thorotrastoma included occlusion of the left common carotid artery and partial occlusion of the left vertebral and left subclavian arteries, bilateral recurrent laryngeal nerve paresis, periesophageal adhesions, and multiple traction diverticula of the esophagus. There was no evidence of hepatic neoplasm or malignant transformation of the thorotrastoma. The major risk for this patient in the future, even though small, would be the development of a malignant hepatic neoplasm. Surgery may be indicated if local symptoms, enlarging tumor mass, or signs of increasing aortic obstruction develop.