Echocardiography showed a voluminous free-floating left atrial thrombus in
an 80-year-old woman affected by rheumatic mitral stenosis with long-standing
atrial fibrillation who was admitted because of transient left arm paralysis
and drop attack without loss of conscience. She refused open heart surgery and
was treated with warfarin. One month later echocardiography detected complete
disappearance of the thrombus; no episodes of peripheral embolization
had occurred since the beginning of medication with warfarin. According to
this report, warfarin is a valuable alternative to surgical treatment for freefloating
left atrial thrombi.
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