Surgical treatment of cardiogenic shock due to huge right atrial thromboembolus

An unusual case is reported of thromboembolus in the right atrium associate d with cardiogenic shock and multiple pulmonary micro-embolisms. Two-dimens ional echocardiograpy demonstrated a large irregular mass in the right atri um floating freely, prolapsing through the tricuspid valve into the right v entricle during diastole, and leading to inflow and outflow obstruction. An emergency operation was performed and the thromboembolic material was succ essfully extracted from the right atrium without using cardiopulmonary bypa ss. This exemplary case highlights the benefit of surgical intervention rat her than more conservative approaches such as anticoagulation and/or thromb olysis.