Intracardiac Thrombi Due to Protein C Deficiency

Intracardiac thrombi are generally localized to the right side of the heart and are related to a variety of etiologic factors. Recently, intracardiac thrombi due to acquired protein-C deficiency were reported. We present 4 cases of intracardiac thrombi and 1 of cerebrovascular obstruction due to hereditary or acquired protein-C deficiency. One patient had hereditary protein-C deficiency. In four patients protein- deficiency was caused by impaired liver function due to sepsis, malignancy and tuberculosis. During the thromboembolic events, a coagulopathy syndrome like DIC is described. A patient with sepsis due to staphylocous aureus died. In the other cases thrombi either disappeared or diminished in size.