Transient ischemic attack + acute myocardial infarction + pulmonary embolism - three comcomitant embolic events in a patient with patent foramen ovale

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Patent foramen ovale (PFO) is the persistence of the opening between the atrial septum primum and atrial septum secundum at the location of the fossa ovalis. It is present in about 25% of adults and is a casual finding without hemodynamic repercussions. However, studies prove an association between PFO and potentially severe clinical conditions, such as ischemic stroke, pulmonary embolism (PE), and, more rarely, acute myocardial infarction (MI). Despite welldocumented consequences of paradoxical embolism through the PFO, the passage of venous clot from a patent foramen has been rarely described in the literature. We report a case of a patient with PFO and manifestation of three concomitant embolic events venous thromboembolism, transient ischemic attack, and MI. CASE DESCRIPTION A 49-year-old woman with a history of idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension, asthma, PFO, and two previous episodes of PE sought emergency care with dyspnea on mild exertion for 2 weeks and oxygen desaturation on room air. She was admitted for compensation and clinical investigation. Chest CT angiography revealed dilatation of the pulmonary trunk and filling defects in the segmental and subsegmental arteries bilaterally. Full anticoagulation was started with enoxaparin. On the fourth day of hospitalization, the patient presented sudden burning chest pain, frontal headache, decreased consciousness, and tachypnea. ECG showed ST-segment elevation inferior MI and complete heart block, which spontaneously reverted to sinus rhythm. Patient also developed sudden left-sided hemiparesis and ipsilateral hemineglect. Non-contrast brain CT ruled out hemorrhage and aortic angiotomography excluded dissection. Due to the reported PFO, an embolic etiology was hypothesized and it was decided not to perform a coronary cineangiography and also to suspend antiplatelet drugs. The patient had complete reversal of the deficits within hours and no changes were noted in a subsequent brain CT. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging confirmed inferior acute MI, and echocardiogram revealed PFO with small right-to-left shunt. After 18 days, the patient was discharged under oral anticoagulation and outpatient follow-up revealed no further complications. CONCLUSION: We report a case of paradoxical embolism manifested in distinct sites in a young patient with PFO, with good outcomes with anticoagulant therapy.