LEFT ATRIAL FREE-FLOATING THROMBUS - DIAGNOSIS BY 2-DIMENSIONAL AND M-MODE ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY

Left atrial thrombus, which is a frequent finding in patients with mit ral valve disease, is generally attached to the atrial wall. Left atri al free-floating thrombus has rarely been reported. Since the risk of peripheral emboli is fairly high, patients with such a thrombus are ca ndidates for emergency surgery. Our first case was a 45-year-old femal e with mitral stenosis and regurgitation. The typically appearing free floating thrombus with a diameter of 3.4 cm was detected by two-dimen sional and M-mode echocardiography, and an appropriate surgical proced ure was performed. The surgical findings were consistent with the echo cardiographic findings. Our second case was a 59-year-old female. A fr ee floating thrombus with a diameter of 2 cm was detected by echocardi ography when this patient with mitral stenosis was hospitalized becaus e of right hemiplegia and aphasia. The thrombus was extracted by an im mediate surgical procedure. Transthoracic echocardiographic (TTE) stud y was definitely specific in both cases; no other study was thus requi red.