[Successful treatment of a right atrial thrombus secondary to central venous catheterization]

The authors report on the thrombolytic therapy in an infant born after 36 weeks of gestation weighing 2800 grams. She was repeatedly operated on for intestinal perforation and a right atrial thrombus developed as a complication of the central venous catheterisation. Complete dissolution of the thrombus was observed after 5 days of local urokinase infusion (initial dose: 3000 IU/kg/hr, gradually elevated up to 4500 IU/kg/hr) through an Epicutaneocava catheter positioned in the right atrium. Subsequently, prophylactic intravenous heparin infusion (100 IU/kg/hr), then subcutaneous low-molecular-weight heparin (2 x 100 AXa IU/kg/day) was given. No side effects of the treatment was observed. On follow-up examinations at the age of 5 months the infant proved to be healthy.