Temporary IVC filtration before patent foramen ovale closure in a patient with paradoxic embolism

Pulmonary embolism (PE) and associated acute peripheral ischemia suggest the diagnosis of paradoxic embolism. The most common intracardiac defect associated with paradoxic emboli is a patent foramen ovale (PFO). Therapeutic options include anticoagulation, thrombolysis, inferior vena cava (IVC) filtration, and closure of the intracardiac defect. The authors discuss the diagnosis and treatment of a young female athlete who presented with massive PE complicated by a paradoxic embolus to the right subclavian artery. Systemic and catheter-directed thrombolysis, IVC filtration, and percutaneous closure of a PFO were performed in an effort to return the patient to the level of competitiveness she desired.