In a 73-year-old woman admitted with pulmonary embolism, a thrombus wedged across a patent foramen ovale was revealed by transesophageal echocardiography. After systemic anticoagulation, cardiac embolectomy and closure of the atrial septal defect were considered. Before surgery, repeat transesophageal echocardiography revealed only a small patent foramen ovale with no residual thrombus. We assumed dissolution of the thrombus as the patient had no sign of systemic or recurrent pulmonary embolism.
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