Right atrial thrombus secondary to peritoneovenous shunt: successful removal with use of cardiopulmonary bypass

A patient who had had a functioning peritoneovenous (LeVeen) shunt for 10 months presented with recurrent ascites and the superior vena cava syndrome. He was found to have a thrombus occluding the superior vena cava and extending into the right atrium. The thrombus was removed and the shunt was declotted during cardiopulmonary bypass.