Surgical elimination of an atrial septal aneurysm causing cerebral embolism.

Atrial septal aneurysms have been recognized as sources of arterial embolism. An intraatrial aneurysm was demonstrated in the fossa ovalis of a 45-year-old woman who suffered an episode of cerebral embolism. The disorder is rarely treated surgically. Most patients with this condition are given life-long anticoagulation, a treatment that may have serious complications. As an alternative treatment with possible lower risk, we removed the aneurysm surgically.