Uncommon presentation of venous thromboembolism and fatal systemic emboli in a patient with nonbacterial thrombotic endocarditis due to pancreatic cancer

Abstract

In the presented case of a 60-year-old man, deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism symptoms preceded pancreatic cancer diagnosis. An unexpected echocardiographic finding was a longitudinal mass attached to the tricuspid valve, and extending to the pulmonary artery — suggestive of a thrombus (as confirmed further autopsy), probably embolic in origin. This uncommon situation might be due to nonbacterial thrombotic endocarditis, which involved all, but mainly tricuspid and aortic valves. During heparin therapy the patient’s haemodynamic status was stable until systemic emboli occurred with multifocal ischaemic stroke that was the cause of death.
Kardiol Pol 2010; 68, 6: 678-683