Double Trouble - A Case Report of Mobile Right Atrial Thrombus in the Setting of Acute Pulmonary Thromboembolism

We report the case of a 51 year-old woman who, six weeks post hysterectomy, developed an acute on chronic pulmonary thromboembolism. On transthoracic echocardiography a mobile right atrial thrombus was detected at the entry of the coronary sinus into the right atrium. A 64 slice spiral CT angiogram confirmed the left sided superior vena cava and bilateral extensive thrombus in the proximal pulmonary arteries. Bilateral pulmonary endarterectomy, removal of atrial thrombus and ligation of the persistent left superior vena cava was performed which markedly improved the haemodynamic and functional status of the patient. The presence of right atrial thrombus in the setting of acute pulmonary embolism presents a unique therapeutic challenge which needs to be individualised based on a number of concomitant clinical factors.