Giant left atrium encountered during right-sided thoracentesis
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 17, 2026

Author Spotlight: Advancements in Intracardiac Echocardiography for Atrial Anatomy Assessment
Published on: June 30, 2023
Rashmi Advani1, Benjamin T Galen2
1Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Medical Center, Department of Internal Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA.
Abstract:
Giant left atrium is an uncommon pathology to encounter during bedside chest ultrasound, but is an important structure to be aware of when considering thoracentesis. This cardiac structure could easily be mistaken for loculated pleural fluid. This case also supports growing evidence that expert users can safely perform thoracentesis without completely reversing therapeutic anticoagulation.
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