Aortic Thrombus Embolization in A Patient with Tuberous Sclerosis

Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is an autosomal dominant genetic disorder affecting many organ systems. Patients commonly develop a variety of benign tumors as well as neurological disease, including seizures, autism, and cognitive delay. We report here the case of an adolescent patient with TSC and a history of mild COVID-19 who presented with a 1-day history of altered mental status. The patient was found to have ischemic cerebral infarction of the right MCA and ACA territories. Initial angiography showed an occlusion of the right internal carotid artery without a demonstrable etiology, with follow-up echocardiography and angiography revealing a large aortic thrombus. The patient was not a candidate for thrombus removal due to her cerebral infarct and received medical anticoagulation. Thrombosis progressed to involve the left ICA, with left cerebral infarction and subsequent death. Aortic thrombus embolization as a cause of cerebrovascular accident (CVA) is a novel finding in the setting of TSC and should be considered for pediatric patients with CVA of unknown etiology. It is unclear whether this was related to the prior COVID-19 infection.