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Left ventricular free-floating ball thrombus complicating aortic valve stenosis
Vedat Davutoglu1, Serdar Soydinc, Adnan Celkan
1Department of Cardiology, University of Gaziantep, Gaziantep, Turkey. vedatdavutoglu@hotmail.com
The Journal of Heart Valve Disease
|April 17, 2004
Summary
A rare case of a free-floating left ventricular thrombus was found in a patient with aortic valve stenosis. This life-threatening condition requires urgent surgical intervention to prevent embolization and ensure patient recovery.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Cardiovascular Surgery
- Diagnostic Imaging
Background:
- Calcific aortic valve stenosis is a common valvular heart disease.
- Left ventricular thrombus formation is typically associated with impaired systolic function or specific cardiac conditions.
- Free-floating thrombi in the left ventricle are exceedingly rare.
Observation:
- A 67-year-old male presented with near-syncopal attacks and left hemiparesis.
- Echocardiography revealed severe calcific aortic valve stenosis and a mobile left ventricular thrombus.
- Serial imaging showed thrombus fragmentation, prompting urgent surgical intervention.
Findings:
- Intraoperative findings confirmed a free-floating ball thrombus within the left ventricular cavity.
- The patient underwent successful thrombus removal and aortic prosthetic valve replacement.
- No underlying coagulopathy was identified as a cause for the thrombus.
Implications:
- This case highlights the potential for left ventricular free-floating thrombi to cause systemic embolization and hemodynamic compromise.
- Prompt diagnosis and emergency surgical management are crucial for favorable outcomes in such rare presentations.
- The concomitant occurrence of LV free-floating thrombus with isolated calcific aortic valve stenosis is unprecedented in medical literature.