Non-bacterial thrombotic endocarditis and coronary thrombectomy in a patient with metastatic small cell lung carcinoma

A 66-year-old Caucasian man was initially admitted with a metastatic small cell lung carcinoma, hyponatraemia and obstructive pneumonia. His transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) was normal. Ten days after admission, he was diagnosed with a non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (MI). Both a repeated TTE and a transoesophageal echocardiogram identified thickened, myxomatous mitral valve leaflet tips with small, mobile masses identified as vegetations, and new, eccentric, severe mitral regurgitation. Subsequent cardiac catheterisation recorded thrombotic occlusion of the right coronary artery. Successful coronary thrombectomy was carried out, but the patient died. A diagnosis of non-bacterial thrombotic endocarditis leading to coronary embolisation and MI was made. The clinical course and treatment choices are discussed.