Free-floating left atrial ball thrombus early after mitral valve replacement.

A 61-year-old woman was found to have a free-floating ball, thrombus in the left atrium on echocardiographic examination 2 weeks after mitral valve replacement and tricuspid, annuloplasty. The free-floating thrombus was successfully, removed by an open-heart procedure without clinical sequelae. The diagnostic value of routine echocardiography on follow-up of valve surgery is emphasized.