Images in Clinical Medicine

Kim Eagle, M.D., Editor

Paradoxical Embolus

Mark E. Silverman, M.D.

N Engl J Med 1993; 329:930September 23, 1993

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Article

Figure 1 Paradoxical Embolus.

A paradoxical embolus was identified in a 64-year-old woman who presented with sudden chest pain and marked dyspnea. Pulmonary embolism was suspected. Soon after admission, she had a massive stroke and died. At autopsy multiple pulmonary emboli were found. The foramen ovale was patent and contained a large, lengthy embolus straddling the atrial septum (Panel A). Panel B shows the embolus trapped in the patent foramen ovale (FO). LA denotes left atrium, and RA right atrium.

Kim Eagle, M.D.

Mark E. Silverman, M.D.
Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30309

Citing Articles (3)

Citing Articles

1. 1

   D. McGaw, R. Harper. (2001) Patent foramen ovale and cryptogenic cerebral infarction. Internal Medicine Journal 31:1, 42-47
   CrossRef

2. 2

   Judy Hung, Michael J. Landzberg, Kathy J. Jenkins, Mary Etta E. King, James E. Lock, Igor F. Palacios, Peter Lang. (2000) Closure of patent foramen ovale for paradoxical emboli: intermediate-term risk of recurrent neurological events following transcatheter device placement. Journal of the American College of Cardiology 35:5, 1311-1316
   CrossRef

3. 3

   Brogno, David, , Lancaster, Gilead, , Rosenbaum, Marlon, . (1994) Embolism Interruptus. New England Journal of Medicine 330:24, 1761-1762
   Full Text