Right atrial thrombus migration during echocardiography: a case for urgent intervention

Eur Heart J. 1992 Dec;13(12):1724-5. doi: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.eurheartj.a060131.

Abstract

A 65-year-old woman presented with increasing shortness of breath, chest pain and ST-T wave abnormalities on the electrocardiogram suggestive of unstable angina. Cross-sectional echocardiography performed to assess wall-motion abnormality and left ventricular function revealed a pedunculated right atrial thrombus prolapsing into the right ventricle which suddenly dislodged and migrated into the pulmonary circulation during the examination. A diagnosis of recurrent pulmonary thromboembolism was made, necessitating urgent pulmonary angiography with infusion of streptokinase. The patient made an uneventful recovery.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Emergencies
  • Female
  • Heart Atria / diagnostic imaging
  • Heart Diseases / diagnostic imaging*
  • Humans
  • Thromboembolism / diagnostic imaging
  • Thrombosis / diagnostic imaging*
  • Ultrasonography