[Pulmonary embolism and thrombus trapped in a patent foramen ovale. Cure by heparin therapy].

The authors report the case of a 84-year old patient admitted to hospital for pulmonary embolism. The diagnosis was made by ventilation and perfusion pulmonary scintigraphy. Transthoracic echocardiography was performed routinely and showed a thrombus wedged across a patient foramen ovale, confirmed at transoesophageal echocardiography. Spiral thoracic computerised tomography showed thrombus in the two main pulmonary arteries and the inferior vena cava. Thrombolysis or thrombectomy under cardiopulmonary bypass, was thought to carry an excessive risk at that age and with the left-sided position of the thrombus. The alternative was therefore anticoagulation which led to dissolution of the thrombus without recurrence of pulmonary embolism or cerebrovascular accident.