Author/Authors :
Lee, Seok In Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery - Gil Medical Center - Gachon University - Incheon, Korea , Lee, So Young Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery - Gil Medical Center - Gachon University - Incheon, Korea , Choi, Chang Hyu Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery - Gil Medical Center - Gachon University - Incheon, Korea , Park, Kook Yang Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery - Gil Medical Center - Gachon University - Incheon, Korea , Park, Chul-Hyun Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery - Gil Medical Center - Gachon University - Incheon, Korea
Abstract :
Spontaneous echo contrast (SEC) is often observed in patients with mitral stenosis, atrial fibrillation, cardiomyopathy, or a ventricular aneurysm [1]. SEC is a
smoke-like echo density observed on echocardiograms, and is caused by increased
red blood cell aggregation during low-flow states. It is also a risk factor of thromboembolism [2]. SEC can be observed in patients with severe ventricular dysfunction receiving venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO).
We present a case in which left ventricular-SEC (LV-SEC) was mistaken for a LV
thrombus during VA-ECMO for severe LV dysfunction.
Keywords :
Oxygenation , Extracorporeal , VA-ECMO , SEC
