Rapid dissolution of right atrial thrombus in a patient with congestive cardiomyopathy.

The AA describe a patient with congestive cardiomyopathy, probably alcoholic, who exhibited signs and symptoms of congestive heart failure and a pericardial rub, due to a right atrial thrombus (4 X 2 cm). The thrombus dissolved completely and the symptoms decreased markedly after 14 days of oral anticoagulant therapy alone. We suggest that anticoagulant therapy should be considered before surgery, if an intracardiac mass with no signs of pulmonary embolism is found in a patient with cardiomyopathy.