Free-floating ball thrombus in the left atrium.
Free-floating ball thrombi in the left atrium are rarely seen. They can cause sudden death by occluding the mitral valve. A 47-year-old female patient who showed signs of mitral stenosis during a physical examination and atrial fibrillation by electrocardiography was not administered anticoagulant therapy. On the transthoracic echocardiogram, a stenotic mitral valve and a floating mobile mass were seen inside the large left atrium. This mass was rounded (ball-like), had smooth contours, and occasionally occluded the stenotic mitral valve. The patient underwent emergency surgery to remove the mass, which was later proven to be a thrombus pathologically. Additionally, mitral valve replacement was performed. The importance of anticoagulant therapy for patients with rheumatic mitral stenosis has been emphasized by this case.
Cakir
Omer
O
Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Dicle University, School of Medicine, Diyarbakir, Turkey. Omercak@dicle.edu.tr
Eren
Nesimi
N
Oruç
Ahmet
A
Buyukbayram
Huseyin
H
D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D008946:Mitral Valve Stenosis / Q000209:etiology; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D016896:Treatment Outcome