Use of streptokinase for lysis of a mobile left ventricular thrombus--report of a case and review of the literature

Abstract

One-third of patients with acute anterior wall infarction develop left ventricular apical thrombi. Mobile thrombi carry the highest risk of systemic embolization, particularly in the early phase after the acute infarction. We report here on a young patient in whom a protruding and mobile left ventricular thrombus was detected on two-dimensional echocardiogram 1 week after an acute antero-septal infarction. Intravenous administration of relatively low doses of streptokinase was followed within 14 h by complication-free resolution and disappearance of the thrombus.