Abstract
The substrate of paradoxic embolization is a patent foramen ovale allowing right-to-left passage of embolic material. A thrombus in transit entrapped by a patent foramen straddling an atrial septal aneurysm is an exceedingly transient condition rarely documented on imaging studies. We present the case of a 67-year-old man with acute pulmonary embolism and concomitant cerebral infarction found to have a large thrombus traversing a patent foramen ovale. Intraoperative real-time three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography allowed accurate spatial characterization of the thrombus and correlated closely with surgical findings. It provided more realistic intraoperative guidance compared with conventional two-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | e101-e102 |
Journal | Annals of Thoracic Surgery |
Volume | 94 |
Issue number | 4 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Oct 2012 |