title: Percutaneous retrieval of a right atrioventricular embolus.
abstract: Percutaneous retrieval of a 12-cm-long serpiginous clot lodged in the right atrium and ventricle is reported. Following bilateral common femoral vein puncture, a Bird's Nest cava filter was first positioned ready to deploy immediately below the renal veins via the right femoral vein. From the left femoral vein, a Cook intravascular retrieval basket was advanced to the right atrium. Under transthoracic echocardiographic visualization, the basket was used to engage, trap, and gently withdraw the clot in a single long strand below the prepositioned inferior vena cava filter. The filter was immediately deployed, leaving the clot trapped inferior to the renal veins, in the cava and left iliac vein. The patient remained well and asymptomatic at discharge.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Flinders Medical Center, Australia.
authors.forename: R P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Davies
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Harding
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hassam
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002406:Catheterization, Peripheral / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D017128:Embolectomy / Q000379:methods*; D004617:Embolism / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D005471:Fluoroscopy; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D016306:Vena Cava Filters