Right atrial thrombus secondary to internal jugular central venous catheter: A case report

Central venous catheters (CVC) are frequently used in emergency and intensive care units. Although generally safe, they may be associated with thrombotic complications including intracardiac thrombosis. We report the case of an 80‑year‑old patient who developed a large right atrial thrombus five days after placement of an internal jugular central venous catheter inserted during the management of septic shock. The thrombus was discovered after the patient returned to the emergency department with hemodynamic instability two days after hospital discharge. Transthoracic echocardiography revealed a large intracardiac thrombus impairing right ventricular filling. This case highlights the importance of early recognition of catheter‑related intracardiac thrombosis and discusses its physiopathology, diagnosis and management.