title: Large right atrial thrombus with pulmonary embolism.
abstract: We present the cases of two patients, aged 67 and 77 years, who were admitted for the evaluation of rapidly progressive dyspnea and syncope, respectively. Both patients developed large right atrial thrombi with pulmonary embolism. The first patient received recombinant tissue plasminogen activator and survived with an uneventful result, whereas the second patient received operative thrombectomy followed by intravenous heparin and died 15 days later of pulmonary infarction with pulseless electrical activity. Data from these limited experiences suggest that thrombolytic therapy might be considered in patients with right heart thrombi with pulmonary embolism.
authors.affiliation: Section of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, 222 Mai-Chin Road, Keelung 204, Taiwan.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Hung
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: L T
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Kuo
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Cherng
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy; D017131:Thrombectomy; D015912:Thrombolytic Therapy; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy; D014463:Ultrasonography