Zanchetta Mario, Rigatelli Gianluca, Pedon Luigi, Zennaro Marco, Maiolino Pietro, Onorato Eustaquio
Department of Cardiovascular Disease, Cittadella Civic Hospital, Padua, Italy.
Catheter Cardiovasc Interv. 2003 Jan;58(1):107-10. doi: 10.1002/ccd.10383.
Although rare, a congenital direct communication between pulmonary artery and left atrium can present a paradoxical embolism in adults. In our case, diagnosis was first made on contrast transcranial Doppler with Valsalva maneuver and subsequently confirmed by intracardiac echocardiography and selective pulmonary angiography. Successful catheter-based closure using Amplatzer duct occluder device resulted in definitive exclusion of the source of paradoxical embolism.