title: Transesophageal echocardiographic evidence of atrial fibrillation with systolic flow in the right atrial appendage and systolic reversal pulmonary flow in a patient with DDD permanent pacing.
abstract: We report the case of a patient with atrial fibrillation on standard electrocardiogram who underwent transesophageal echocardiography to rule out presence of thrombi in heart cavities. Pulsed-wave Doppler investigation revealed multiphasic waves consistent with atrial fibrillation in the left atrial appendage, while in the right atrial appendage, a biphasic flow was registered after QRS depolarization. Some hypotheses are made about the origin of this signal.
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Unit, Fatebenefratelli S. Orsola Hospital, Brescia, Italy.
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Oneglia
authors.forename: Cesare
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rusconi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D020517:Atrial Appendage / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000502:physiology*; D002304:Cardiac Pacing, Artificial; D018619:Echocardiography, Doppler, Pulsed; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010138:Pacemaker, Artificial; D011667:Pulmonary Veins / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000502:physiology*