Dissecting aneurysm of the thoracic aorta presenting as iliac artery occlusion.

A 68-year old man was admitted because of severe, sudden pain in his left thigh and leg, with a feeling of coldness, weakness and numbness that started four hours prior to his admission. The pain subsided gradually and spontaneously after about half an hour. The patient could recall a vague pain in the left lower abdomen, which started simultaneously with the pain in his leg, and subsided after a few minutes. There was no chest pain nor upper abdominal pain. The patient was a known hypertensive, receiving methyldopa and diuretics for several years. He also had chronic atrial fibrillation and was on mainte-