Two-week administration of rivaroxaban resolved left atrial thrombus

Role of Cardiac Magnetic Resonance in Diagnosis and Treatment of Ball Thrombus in Left Atrium - Trust But Verify! - Case Report

Male patient with left atrial cardiac mass was in need of a quick diagnosis for individualized and effective treatment. Transthoracic echocardiography showed presence of а giant left atrial cardiac mass with atypical location for thrombus. Cardiac Magnetic Resonance (CMR) Imaging was performed for histological discrimination, and showed a large cardiac mass wall attached in the left atrium, homogeneous, with diameter of 3.4cm x 3.2cm. Late Gadolinium Enhancement sequences revealed black avascular tissue without signal, confirming the characterization of a thrombus. The patient refused hospital initiation of low molecular weight heparin treatment and started treatment with Rivaroxaban. Six weeks later he presented with NYHA class II, almost complete dissolving of the thrombus on CMR scan. Seven months from the initial CMR scan, echocardiography screen was done showing complete absence of the left atrial mass. With this case report we have demonstrated the significance of the CMR as one step further in the precise diagnostics of cardiac masses, solving critical clinical dilemma.

The resolution of carotid arterial thrombus by oral anticoagulation after IV thrombolysis for chemotherapy-induced stroke: A case report

RATIONALE

Cancer-related stroke has been regarded as an emerging subtype of ischemic event. Acute treatment for this subtype may include the antiplatelet agents, anticoagulants, or endovascular intervention.

PATIENT CONCERNS

A 63-year-old woman with sudden-onset right hemiparesis and conscious change was sent to our emergency department. The patient had underlying sigmoid adenocarcinoma and received chemotherapy FOLFIRI (FOL, folinic acid; F, fluorouracil; and IRI, irinotecan) with targeted therapy cetuximab following lower anterior resection since the diagnosis was made.

DIAGNOSES

Brain magnetic resonance angiography revealed a filling defect in left carotid bulb, and neurosonography showed a thick atherosclerotic plaque (size 4.9 mm) in the left internal carotid artery on day 5 after the onset of stroke.

INTERVENTIONS

During the first three hours after onset, administration of IV tissue plasminogen activator did not resolve the thrombus. Dabigatran (110 mg bid) started on day 7.

OUTCOMES

The atherosclerotic plaque dissolved on day 24. The patient recovered her muscle strength but still had nonfluent speech in mild extent.

LESSONS

Thrombolytic and anticoagulant medications in this patient suggested the thrombus formation with fibrin-rich content which may be attributable to both cancer and chemotherapy. Dabigatran, an oral anticoagulant, had a benefit for this subtype of ischemic stroke among patients with cancer.

Resolution of Internal Carotid Arterial Thrombus by the Thrombolytic Action of Dabigatran: A first case report

Non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) have been reported to cause resolution of intracardiac thrombus, but there have been no reported cases of internal carotid arterial thrombus resolution.We report a case of a 76-year-old man in whom an internal carotid arterial thrombus resolved after administration of the NOAC dabigatran at a dose of 110  mg twice daily.This is the first reported case of carotid arterial thrombus resolution after oral intake of NOAC (direct thrombin and factor Xa inhibitors), to the best of our knowledge.We conclude that this case had major clinical significance because it might represent one of the multiple effects of NOACs.