Mobile Right Atrial Thrombi in a Patient with the Hemoglobin SC Disease
2011

Mobile Right Atrial Thrombi in a Patient with Hemoglobin SC Disease

publication Evidence: low

Author Information

Author(s): H. O. Savage, N. Ding, O. Eso, B. Sachdev, D. L. Lefroy

Primary Institution: Hammersmith Hospital, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust

Hypothesis

Sickle cell disease as a hypercoagulable state is a rare risk factor for intracardiac thrombus.

Conclusion

Intravenous thrombolytic therapy offered a safer and more acceptable alternative to surgical removal of the thrombus.

Supporting Evidence

  • Spontaneous right atrial thrombus formation is rare in patients without structural right heart disease or atrial fibrillation.
  • Mobile right-sided thrombi are associated with a high mortality rate greater than 40%.
  • Transthoracic echocardiography is a key noninvasive investigation for diagnosing intracardiac thrombi.

Takeaway

A man with sickle cell disease developed a blood clot in his heart because he wasn't taking his blood thinner medicine. Doctors used a special medicine to dissolve the clot and he got better.

Methodology

The patient was treated with thrombolysis and monitored with transthoracic echocardiography.

Limitations

The case report does not provide a large sample size or controlled study data.

Participant Demographics

A 52-year-old man with hemoglobin SC disease.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1155/2011/897167

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