Formation of intracardiac thrombus during cardiopulmonary bypass despite full heparinization and adequate activated clotting time -A case report-

Retrograde Extrusion of Coronary Thrombus During Urgent Aortocoronary Bypass Surgery: A Case Report

A 73-year-old man underwent urgent coronary artery bypass grafting after an acute myocardial infarction. An angiogram had revealed multivessel disease with a circumflex artery lesion suspected as the primary culprit. On separation from cardiopulmonary bypass, transesophageal echocardiography revealed a new mobile mass in the aortic root. Cardiopulmonary bypass was reinstituted and a large thrombus emanating from the left coronary ostium was surgically removed. We hypothesize that the thrombus had originated from coronary retrograde extrusion during venous grafting. This case illustrates an unusual source of emboli during coronary artery bypass grafting and emphasizes the importance of perioperative transesophageal echocardiography for the prevention of potentially catastrophic outcomes.

Intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography to evaluate acute cessation of venous inflow during cardiopulmonary bypass

Acute disruption of venous return during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) may be due to malposition of the venous cannula, kinks or obstruction of the venous tubing by a smaller cannula, airlock, or mechanical disruption of blood flow. We describe an acute obstruction of the venous cannula by blood clots that were visualized on the transesophageal echocardiogram during CPB. Appropriate measures were taken by the surgeon to evacuate the clot and restore CPB. The clots were not seen on the transesophageal echocardiogram before CPB raising suspicion that they originated in a lower extremity and migrated to the right atrium resulting in venous cannula obstruction.