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Extrinsic Compression of the Left Atrium by a Mediastinal Hematoma Secondary to Inadvertent Carotid Puncture
Author(s) -
BouzasMosquera Alberto,
Mosquera Victor X.,
Portela Francisco,
Cuenca José J.,
ÁlvarezGarcía Nemesio,
CastroBeiras Alfonso
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
echocardiography
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.404
H-Index - 62
eISSN - 1540-8175
pISSN - 0742-2822
DOI - 10.1111/j.1540-8175.2008.00844.x
Subject(s) - medicine , left atrium , hematoma , surgery , leak , cardiology , radiology , atrial fibrillation , environmental engineering , engineering
We present the case of a 63‐year‐old man who underwent surgical closure of a paravalvular mitral leak. Immediately after surgery, transesophageal echocardiography revealed the appearance of a mediastinal hematoma encroaching on the left atrium and separating the esophageal probe from the posterior left atrial wall. The cause was an inadvertent puncture of the carotid artery, presumably during central venous line insertion prior to surgery.