Prelude of Tragedy: Entrapped Huge Thrombi into a Patent Foramen Ovale Impending Paradoxical Embolism.
- Author:
Jae Hwan LEE
1
;
Jae Hyeong PARK
;
Eun Mi KIM
;
Won Il JANG
;
Kye Taek AHN
;
Min Su KIM
;
Kyu Seop KIM
;
Il Soon JEONG
;
Jin Ok JEONG
;
In Whan SEONG
Author Information
1. Department of Internal Medicine, Chungnam National University Hospital, Chungnam National University, College of Medicine, Daejeon, Korea. jaehpark@cnuh.co.kr
- Publication Type:Case Report
- Keywords:
Paradoxical embolism;
Patent foramen ovale;
Pulmonary thromboembolism
- MeSH:
Aged;
Atrial Septum;
Colonic Neoplasms;
Dyspnea;
Echocardiography, Transesophageal;
Embolectomy;
Embolism, Paradoxical*;
Foramen Ovale, Patent*;
Heart Septal Defects, Atrial;
Humans;
Pulmonary Embolism;
Thorax;
Thrombosis;
Ventricular Pressure
- From:Journal of Cardiovascular Ultrasound
2007;15(4):121-123
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Infrequently, patent foramen ovale or atrial septal defect act as a passage for the venous thrombi to reach the arterial circulation. These arterial thrombi can evoke tragic paradoxical embolisms. We report a case of impending paradoxical embolism due to a huge thrombus trapped through a patent foramen ovale in a 66-year-old man who presented with sudden dyspnea and chest discomfort in ten days after colon cancer surgery. The transthoracic echocardiogram demonstrated signs of acute right ventricular pressure overload and a huge linear mass wedged in a patent foramen ovale. On the intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography, the huge linear mass was freely floating in both right and left cardiac chambers passing through atrial septum. To prevent paradoxical embolism from this thrombus, he underwent emergent embolectomy and about 25 cm sized linear thrombus entrapped PFO was successfully removed.
