Massive Left Atrial Thrombus in a Patient With Rheumatic Mitral Stenosis and Atrial Fibrillation While Anticoagulated With Dabigatran

Abstract

Dabigatran is an oral direct thrombin inhibitor licensed for use by the Food and Drug Administration.1,2 This novel anticoagulant is effective and approved for prevention of stroke and systemic embolism in nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (AF) and prevention of venous thromboembolism in adults receiving elective total hip or knee replacement surgery.1,2 These images present a cautionary account of failed dabigatran anticoagulation in a patient with valvular AF: an indication for which its use has not been approved. A 50-year-old female with severe rheumatic mitral stenosis underwent open mitral valvotomy under cardiopulmonary bypass 25 years prior. On subsequent annual surveillance, she remained asymptomatic and her mitral stenosis remained moderate on echocardiography with a mean transmitral gradient of 8 mm Hg. Permanent AF was previously diagnosed 12 months earlier, and she was commenced on warfarin and metoprolol. She had stable anticoagulation monitoring, no bleeding complications, and normal renal function, but was needle-phobic with psychological …