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J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2010;139:e49-e50
© 2010 The American Association for Thoracic Surgery

Brief Clinical Report

Intra-atrial embolus trapped in patent foramen ovale before systemic embolization

^a Department of Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, The Heart Institute–National University Hospital, Singapore
^b Department of Surgery, Yong Loo Ling School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
^c Cardiac Department, The Heart Institute-National University Hospital, Singapore
^d University of Leipzig–Heart Center, Leipzig, Germany

Received for publication June 11, 2008; accepted for publication July 4, 2008.

^_* Address for reprints: Theo Kofidis, MD, PhD, Department of Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, The Heart Institute, National University Hospital, 5 Lower Kent Ridge Road, Singapore 119074.

The first 20% of the full text of this article appears below.

	Introduction

 
We present a case of an embolus traversing the patent foramen ovale (PFO) diagnosed on echocardiography with extensive bilateral pulmonary embolism demonstrated on subsequent computed tomography scan.

	Clinical Summary

 
A 67-year-old woman presented to the emergency department with a subacute onset of exertional dyspnea that was not associated with angina. Her medical history was positive for hypertension and dyslipidemia. Vital signs were stable except for pulse oxymetry of 89% on room air. Physical examination was positive for mild tachypnea, tachycardia, and a faint systolic murmur. Cardiac enzymes were normal. A subacute valvular pathology was suspected, and an urgent transthoracic echocardiography was performed, which demonstrated an embolus extending from the right atrium . . . [Full Text of this Article]