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[Cardiogenic embolisms following silent anterior wall infarct]
Zeitschrift Fur Kardiologie
|June 1, 1986
Insights
A large mobile mass in the left ventricle caused recurrent arterial embolisms in a 33-year-old man. Surgical removal and analysis confirmed it was an organized thrombus, not a primary heart tumor.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Pathology
Background:
- Recurrent arterial embolism is a serious clinical presentation.
- Left ventricular masses require accurate etiological diagnosis.
Observation:
- A large, mobile left ventricular mass was identified via echocardiography in a 33-year-old male patient.
- Electrocardiogram (ECG) revealed an anterolateral scar, and coronary angiography showed a stenosis in the left anterior descending artery (LAD).
Findings:
- Initial suspicion of a primary cardiac tumor was challenged by ECG and angiographic findings.
- Surgical excision of the left ventricular mass was performed.
- Histological examination definitively classified the mass as an organized thrombus.
Implications:
- This case highlights the importance of considering organized thrombus in the differential diagnosis of left ventricular masses, especially in patients with cardiac scar and coronary artery disease.
- Accurate diagnosis is crucial for appropriate management and prevention of further embolic events.
- The findings underscore the potential for thrombus formation in the left ventricle secondary to myocardial injury.
Abstract:
A 33-year-old man had suffered recurrent arterial embolisms. Echocardiography identified as the most likely cause a large mobile mass in the left ventricle. Initially a primary heart tumor was discussed, but the ECG finding of an anterolateral scar and an angiographically proven LAD-stenosis were suspicious of an organized thrombus of the left ventricle. After surgical excision, histological analysis classified the mass as an organized thrombus.