[Splenic infarction caused by paradoxical emboli in severe pulmonary hypertension].

History And Clinical Findings: A 55-year-old woman developed increasing shortness of breath and breath-independent pain in the left lower chest. 20 years previously she had had an episode of pulmonary embolism and 10 years previously a central venous thrombosis in the left eye. No cause of the increased thrombogenesis had been found. On admission she had resting dyspnoea but a stable circulation. On auscultation the breath sounds were diminished over the left base and there was a diastolic murmur over the pulmonary area with an accentuated second sound. There was also marked tenderness below the left costal margin. Recurrent pulmonary embolism or left-sided pleuropneumonia was suspected.

Investigation: Arterial blood gases (without additional oxygen) showed severe hypoxaemia (pO2 42.3 mm Hg, pCO2 27.8 mm Hg, pH 7.455, oxygen saturation 80.5%). Transthoracic and transoesophageal echocardiography showed normal left ventricular dimensions, right atrial and ventricular dilatation, and an atrial septal aneurysm with a right to left interatrial shunt. Right heart catheterisation demonstrated severe pulmonary hypertension. Sonography, computed tomography and scintigraphy revealed multiple splenic infarcts.

Treatment And Course: Heparinisation was instituted (partial thromboplastin time 70-90 s) and overlapping oral anticoagulation to a Quick value of 20%. Subsequently the calcium antagonist felodipine (15 mg daily) was given. The mean pulmonary artery pressure was 61 mm Hg before and 57 mm Hg after treatment.

Conclusion: Splenic infarction resulting from paradoxical embolisation is rare, but should be routinely considered in the presence of thromboembolic phenomena.