title: Continuous monitoring by biplane transesophageal echocardiography of pulmonary and paradoxical embolism.
abstract: Paradoxical embolism is considered a relatively uncommon disease. Continuous biplane transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) was performed in a 64-year-old woman who had an acute pulmonary embolism. TEE showed an elongated formation highly mobile within both atria. It was trapped in the interatrial septum, passing through a patent foramen ovale. Systemic embolism of the right arm was noted. The patient died 5 hours after admission, and postmortem examination confirmed the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism. This case demonstrates the potential utility of TEE in the study of patients with suspected paradoxical embolism.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Medicine, La Sapienza, University of Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: De Castro
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cartoni
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Conti
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Beni
mesh_terms: D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal / Q000379:methods*; D004617:Embolism / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006344:Heart Septal Defects, Atrial / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000379:methods*; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*