# A Patent Foramen Ovale With an Atrial Septal Aneurysm in a Patient Presenting With Deep Vein Thrombosis and Pulmonary Embolism

## TL;DR

A patient with deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism was found to have a patent foramen ovale with an atrial septal aneurysm, which increased their risk of paradoxical embolism.

## Contribution

This case highlights the clinical significance of PFO with ASA in patients with thromboembolic events.

## Key findings

- The patient had a PFO with an ASA detected via echocardiogram.
- The PFO was closed with a transcatheter device due to high embolism risk.

## Abstract

Patent foramen ovale (PFO) is an embryogenic remnant that can be found in healthy adults with no repercussions. However, it poses a risk of paradoxical embolism. In patients with known embolic stroke, the risk of recurrence is greater. A PFO can be accompanied by morphological variants such as atrial septal aneurysms (ASA). These have been shown to further increase the risk of stroke and embolism. This is a case of a patient who presented to the emergency department with deep vein thrombosis and sub-massive pulmonary embolism. An echocardiogram showed a PFO with an ASA as an incidental finding. The defect was closed with a transcatheter PFO closure device due to a high risk of paradoxical embolism.