The effect of elevated right atrial pressure due to pulmonary emboli on detection of patent foramen ovale and potential paradoxical embolus.

摘要

A 23-year-old woman presented following a collapse. Over the period of 2 weeks, she had experienced increasing exertional dyspnoea and right calf pain. She also reported 2 days of pleuritic chest pain. She had no significant medical history, although 3 years back she had been investigated for an audible murmur with a transesophageal echocardiogram (TOE) that was normal, with no evidence of a patent foramen ovale (PFO) even during cough maneuver. Her only regular medication was the oral contraceptive pill.