Acute myocardial infarction caused by paradoxical coronary embolization in a patient with a patent foramen ovale

J Am Soc Echocardiogr. 2001 Dec;14(12):1227-9. doi: 10.1067/mje.2001.114138.

Abstract

We describe the case of a young woman without cardiac risk factors who had an acute inferoapical myocardial infarction. Coronary angiographic appearance was consistent with thrombus in the distal left anterior descending coronary artery. A patent foramen ovale with moderate right-to-left shunting after the Valsalva maneuver was detected by contrast transesophageal echocardiography. No other cardioembolic source was identified. Paradoxical embolization through a patent foramen ovale is a rare phenomenon, which appeared to have resulted in myocardial infarction in this patient.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Coronary Angiography
  • Echocardiography, Transesophageal
  • Embolism, Paradoxical / complications*
  • Female
  • Heart Septal Defects, Atrial / complications*
  • Heart Septal Defects, Atrial / diagnostic imaging
  • Humans
  • Myocardial Infarction / etiology*