Patent foramen ovale complicated by paradoxical embolism and brain infarct in a patient with advanced ovarian cancer.
BACKGROUND
Recent investigations of patients with cerebral and peripheral arterial emboli of unknown cause suggest that paradoxical embolism through a patent foramen ovale might be responsible for more arterial embolic events than previously realized.


METHODS
A 60-year-old woman with advanced ovarian cancer presented with sudden onset of expressive aphasia and right upper hemiplegia postoperatively. A patent foramen ovale diagnosed by echocardiography with contrast combined with the presence of thrombosis in her right femoral vein leads us to speculate that her stroke was secondary to a paradoxical embolism.


CONCLUSIONS
Paradoxical embolism should be considered in the differential diagnosis of ovarian cancer patients with embolic stroke and it may be appropriate to include a cardiac echo as part of the diagnostic evaluation.
Mitsui
T
T
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata, 951-8510, Japan.
Aoki
Y
Y
Nagata
Y
Y
Kojima
Y
Y
Tanaka
K
K
D020520:Brain Infarction / Q000150:complications*; D019320:Embolism, Paradoxical / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006344:Heart Septal Defects, Atrial / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000150:complications*