CASE REPORTS   

Chirurgia 2014 April;27(2):125-7

Copyright © 2014 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Left atrial free floating ball thrombus after mitral valve replacement: a case report

Zeitani J., Lio A., Russo M., Saitto G., Nardi P., Grego S., Serrao A., Chiariello L.

Department of Surgery, Cardiac Surgery Institute Tor Vergata University, Rome, Italy

Left atrial ball thrombus is a very rare echocardiographic finding after mitral valve surgery. Just few cases have been described. We report the case of a 59-year-old old man with echocardiographic evidence of left atrial fluctuating mass near after mitral valve replacement, who underwent emergency surgical procedure to remove thrombus. Surgical removal of giant atrial thrombi appears to be the procedure of choice in these patients. Left appendage occlusion may be considered as an adjunctive surgical procedure in these cases.