title: An unusual cause of respiratory failure in a colon cancer patient.
abstract: Permanent central venous catheters (CVC), such as Port-a-Cath®, Hickmann® or PICC®, are widely used in oncology patients for cancer treatment. Thrombosis is a frequent complication that should be ruled out, as it is associated with potentially severe infection and hemodynamic consequences. This is the case report of a male patient who was undergoing chemotherapy for colon cancer. The patient presented with an atrial mass secondary to a CVC-related organized thrombus located inside the atrial cavity. The mass was inducing a massive right-to-left intracardial shunt due to a persistent foramen ovale and signs of respiratory failure that required surgical intervention to remove the intracardial mass.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Infanta Sofía University Hospital, San Sebastián de los Reyes, 28702 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: María
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sereno
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonology, Infanta Sofía University Hospital, San Sebastián de los Reyes, 28702 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Francisco Javier
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Montoro
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Infanta Sofía University Hospital, San Sebastián de los Reyes, 28702 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Casanova
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Infanta Sofía University Hospital, San Sebastián de los Reyes, 28702 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Gerardo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gutiérrez-Gutiérrez
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Infanta Sofía University Hospital, San Sebastián de los Reyes, 28702 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Joaquín
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ojeda
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Infanta Sofía University Hospital, San Sebastián de los Reyes, 28702 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Enrique Sáenz
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Casado
keywords: atrial thrombosis; central venous catheter; shunt