title: Embolus entrapped in patent foramen ovale: impending paradoxical embolism.
abstract: An impending paradoxical embolism is a rare finding, with fewer than 200 cases being documented so far. A 68-year-old woman, who presented with 3 weeks of increasing exertional dyspnea and exercise intolerance, underwent transesophageal echocardiography with a finding of an embolus in both right and left atria. At an emergent cardiac surgery, a worm-shaped, 5-cm-long thrombus was found in the right atrium, it was protruding to left atrium through the foramen ovale. The thrombus was removed intact, and the foramen ovale was closed. By our experience, an emergent cardiac surgery should always be considered as a treatment option for impending paradoxical embolism.
authors.affiliation: International Clinical Research Center, Brno, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Helena
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Podroužková
authors.affiliation: International Clinical Research Center, Brno, Czech Republic; Center of Cardiovascular Surgery and Organ Transplantation, Brno, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Vladimír
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Horváth
authors.affiliation: International Clinical Research Center, Brno, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Ota
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Hlinomaz
authors.affiliation: VUT Brno, Brno, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bedan
authors.affiliation: Tomas Bata Regional Hospital, Zlin, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Miroslav
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bambuch
authors.affiliation: Center of Cardiovascular Surgery and Organ Transplantation, Brno, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Petr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Němec
authors.affiliation: International Clinical Research Center, Brno, Czech Republic. Electronic address: maor@post.cz.
authors.forename: Marek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Orban
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D019560:Echocardiography, Three-Dimensional; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D019320:Embolism, Paradoxical / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D054092:Foramen Ovale, Patent / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D017131:Thrombectomy / Q000379:methods*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed