Emergency thromboembolectomy for impending paradoxical embolism through a patent foramen ovale owing to venous thromboembolism in a severely obese patient

Gen Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2020 Dec;68(12):1465-1468. doi: 10.1007/s11748-019-01283-4. Epub 2020 Jan 2.

Abstract

A severely obese patient with dyspnea and weighing 197 kg presented to us. He experienced an impending paradoxical embolism in the left ventricle caused by a deep vein thrombosis passing through a patent foramen ovale, as well as an acute massive pulmonary thromboembolism. Emergency thromboembolectomy from the right atrium and the bilateral pulmonary arteries was successfully performed. This is an extremely rare case of a severely obese patient with a body mass index of 66.6 kg/m2 who required emergency cardiac surgery by a cardiopulmonary bypass.

Keywords: Impending paradoxical embolism; Patent foramen ovale; Severe obesity; Thromboembolectomy; Venous thromboembolism.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Embolism, Paradoxical* / diagnosis
  • Embolism, Paradoxical* / etiology
  • Embolism, Paradoxical* / surgery
  • Foramen Ovale, Patent* / complications
  • Foramen Ovale, Patent* / diagnostic imaging
  • Foramen Ovale, Patent* / surgery
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Obesity / complications
  • Pulmonary Embolism* / etiology
  • Pulmonary Embolism* / surgery
  • Venous Thromboembolism* / diagnosis
  • Venous Thromboembolism* / etiology