Vascular Pathology: Aorta: Vascular disease: Saddle embolus at the bifurcation of the aorta

An autopsy specimen from an elderly male who presented with bilateral ischaemia of the legs following recent myocardial infarction. The aorta shows some atherosclerotic plaques. At the bifurcation is an embolus which straddles both the iliac arteries. This is a classic saddle embolus. The embolus arose from an endocardial thrombus which was secondary to myocardial infarction.