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First published on April 2, 2008 Angiology 2008, doi:10.1177/0003319707306218
© 2008 SAGE Publications
The Right Atrial Thrombus: The Sword of Damocles With Real Risk of Massive Pulmonary Embolism
Marijan Kirin, PhD*,
Reuf Ceric, MD,
Marko Spoljaric, MD,
Mario Pehar, MD,
Gordana Cavric, MD,
Ivana Rajcan Spoljaric, MD,
and
Ivan Kirin, MD
Clinical Hospital Dubrava
* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: mkirin{at}kbd.hr.
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Abstract |
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Cases of 6 patients admitted at the intensive care unit for massive pulmonary embolism are reported. All patients presented with dyspnea, tachypnea, and tachycardia, and 4 were hypotensive and had syncope. Lung ventilation/perfusion scans revealed perfusion defects in 4 patients. Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) demonstrated acute cor pulmonale. It also revealed mobile right atrial thrombi in 5 patients, adherent thrombus in the right atrium in 1 patient and patent foramen ovale in 4 patients. Thrombolytic therapy was initiated in 4 patients, and 2 patients received heparin infusion only. Effects of thrombolysis were monitored using bedside TTE during the first 24 hours and in follow-up. The outcome of 4 patients who received thrombolytic therapy was good whereas other 2 patients, who received only heparin, died. Thrombotic mass disappeared 8 to 12 hours after initiation of therapy, and 10 weeks after discharge TTE showed normalized right ventricle dimensions and function in all 4 patients.

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