[Thrombus of the left auricle: a rarely noticed cause of systemic embolism. Apropos of an echocardiographic case report].

The authors report the case of a 70 year old woman who had 3 episodes of acute ischaemia of the lower limbs in the space of 2 months. She was admitted to the Cardiology Unit after the second embolism: successive ECG recordings showed signs of the sick sinus syndrome justifying permanent pacing and anti-arrhythmic and anticoagulant therapy. The standard 2D echocardiographic views showed no signs of intracardiac disease, but a modified high short axis view demonstrated an oblong thrombus in the left auricle. Unfortunately, therapeutic non-compliance led to a third episode of embolism 2 weeks later; a repeat 2D echocardiogram showed the left auricle to be completely free of thrombosis. The authors review the medical literature of this condition. Echocardiography only began to play a useful diagnostic role from 1984 when technical improvements and the use of new and more appropriate views of the left auricle were introduced.