Inadvertent embolic obstruction of abdominal aorta from left atrial thrombus after percutaneous mitral valvuloplasty.

Inadvertent embolic obstruction of the distal abdominal aorta and left renal artery during a percutaneous mitral valvuloplasty procedure in a patient with mitral stenosis is reported. The embolism was from a left atrial thrombus which was detected by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) but not by transesophageal echocardiography.