[Chest trouble and hemiparesis. A paradoxical emergency?].

The case of a young female patient with progressive chest trouble and dyspnea is reported. After development of a massive cerebral infarction, thrombolysis and afterwards decompressive craniectomy had to be performed. A patent foramen ovale (PFO) could be detected by transesophageal contrast-echocardiography accountable for a paradox embolism in existence with a deep vein thrombosis. The patient survived this situation but sustained persistent hemiparesis.