title: Floating aortic thrombus in systemic aspergillosis and detection by transesophageal echocardiography.
abstract: After immunosuppressive treatment for a colitis ulcerosa, a 49-yr-old man developed signs of systemic aspergillosis with subsequent septic shock and encephalitis. For recurrent signs of thromboembolism, transesophageal echocardiography was performed and revealed a large floating thrombus of the aortic arch. Despite appropriate antibiotic treatment, the patient died a few days later suffering from adult respiratory distress syndrome. The appearance of aortic thrombi concomitant to systemic fungal infection rarely has been reported. The present case is the first report of in vivo detection of large vessel involvement in systemic aspergillosis by transesophageal echocardiography. In our opinion, transesophageal echocardiography is the method of choice for bedside diagnosis of this rare complication in critically ill patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Angiology and Pneumology, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Grothues
authors.forename: Tobias
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Welte
authors.forename: Hans J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Grote
authors.forename: Albert
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Roessner
authors.forename: Helmut U
authors.initials: HU
authors.lastname: Klein
mesh_terms: D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D001018:Aortic Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D001228:Aspergillosis / Q000150:complications*; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009894:Opportunistic Infections / Q000150:complications; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*