title: Thrombus in right atrium in two infants successfully treated with tissue plasminogen activator.
abstract: The widespread use of central venous catheters in children has increased thrombotic complications that warrant thrombolytic therapy. We report the cases of two infants, aged four and two months, with a mobile thrombus in the right atrium treated with recombinant tissue-plasminogen-activator (rt-PA) infused by a central venous catheter. Clot dissolution was obtained in both patients in eight and 44 hours, respectively. One patient presented mild respiratory distress probably from a pulmonary microembolism that disappeared in a few days. Both had minor bleeding from venipuncture sites, but no major hemorrhage.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Intensive Care and Pediatric Cardiology, Infanta Cristina University Hospital, Badajoz, Spain.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Martínez-Tallo
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Campo
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Delgado
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Marfíl
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Agulla
mesh_terms: D002405:Catheterization, Central Venous / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006325:Heart Atria; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D010960:Plasminogen Activators / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015912:Thrombolytic Therapy; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D010960:Plasminogen Activators; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator