Key result
Bedside ultrasound identification of a large left atrial mass and right ventricular dysfunction in an unstable patient with pulmonary embolism facilitated emergent surgical treatment.
Case Report (n=1)
Bedside cardiac ultrasound is crucial in unstable patients with pulmonary embolism to identify concomitant life-threatening pathologies like atrial masses.
May support bedside ultrasound in unstable PE; leaves open routine adoption pending prospective validation.
Atrial myxomas, though the most common primary cardiac neoplasm, remain a rare disease occurring in about 0.03% of the population. While clinically benign, they are considered functionally malignant as they can cause life-threatening embolic events. Here we present a patient with a high-risk intermediate pulmonary embolism where bedside ultrasound revealed significant right ventricular dysfunction with an associated large left atrial mass. These findings combined with the patient's instability allowed her to be rushed to surgery for definitive treatment.
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Rijst et al. (2022) conducted a case report in Pulmonary embolism and left atrial mass (n=1). Emergent surgery / thrombectomy was evaluated. Bedside ultrasound identification of a large left atrial mass and right ventricular dysfunction in an unstable patient with pulmonary embolism facilitated emergent surgical treatment.
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