A case of carbon monoxide poisoning with thrombus in the heart: a case report

Carbon monoxide is a nonirritant, odorless, colorless gas, and is lighter than air. It is an end product of the incomplete combustion of hydrocarbons. Its effects are most prominent in organs sensitive to oxygen deprivation, such as the heart, brain, and kidney. Carbon monoxide poisoning becomes more abundant in winter and at cold places. In Turkey, every year we see several deaths due to poisonous gas leaks from coal or wood stoves. Deaths particularly due to hypoxia-related central nervous system damage and ventricular dysrhythmias are observed. On the other hand, an association between thromboembolic accidents and carbon monoxide poisoning has been shown in literature. Thromboembolic accidents in the mesenteric, central nervous system, and extremities are reported. However, no atrial thrombus has been mentioned. In this study, a case of an atrial thrombus associated with carbon monoxide poisoning following a diagnosis of carbon monoxide poisoning and treatment in the emergency room is reported and the literature is revisited.