title: Impending paradoxical embolism: a case report and literature review.
abstract: Paradoxical embolism occurs following the passage of embolic material from the venous to the arterial circulation through a right to left shunt--frequently a patent foramen ovale. The diagnosis is usually presumptive when arterial emboli occur in the appropriate clinical setting. We describe a case of impending paradoxical embolism in a patient with massive pulmonary embolism. Transoesophageal echocardiography revealed a thromboembolus straddling a patent foramen ovale. The patient underwent emergency removal of the intracardiac clot with closure of the patent foramen ovale.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, John Radcliffe Hospital, Headington, Oxford, U.K.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hargreaves
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Maloney
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gribbin
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Westaby
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D004617:Embolism / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006346:Heart Septum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000175:diagnosis