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A suspected case of paradoxical renal embolism through the patent foramen ovale

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Abstract

We experienced a case of cryptogenic renal infarction in a previously healthy 60-year-old man. He had no systemic atherosclerotic changes. Holter monitoring revealed no atrial fibrillation. Transthoracic echocardiography showed no thrombus. Because the onset occurred while he was swinging a golf club (a similar maneuver to holding the breath), further examination was performed with a view to detecting paradoxical embolism through the foramen ovale. A positive bubble test with the Valsalva maneuver during transesophageal echocardiography led to the diagnosis of patent foramen ovale (PFO). This was a suspected case of paradoxical embolism through a PFO leading to renal infarction.

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Correspondence to Nobuhiko Joki.

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Iwasaki, M., Joki, N., Tanaka, Y. et al. A suspected case of paradoxical renal embolism through the patent foramen ovale. Clin Exp Nephrol 15, 147–150 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10157-010-0354-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10157-010-0354-4

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