A potential source of cerebral embolus

Cerebral ischaemia - A potential source of cerebral embolus Factor

This means a condition or a medical procedure, capable of leading to a blood clot which travels to the brain.  The RMA has defined a potential source of cerebral embolus as being the presence of at least one of the following:

(a)        acute myocardial infarction; or

(b)        any of the following causes of cerebral arterial embolism:

1. cardiac hydatid cysts; or
2. decompression sickness; or
3. foreign body penetration into an artery within the head, neck or chest; or
4. primary or secondary cardiac tumours; or
5. primary or secondary lung tumours; or
6. pulmonary barotrauma; or
7. severe bone trauma; or

(c)        any of the following means of paradoxical embolism:

(i)         atrial septal defect; or

(ii)        patent foramen ovale; or

(iii)       pulmonary arteriovenous fistula; or

(iv)       ventricular septal defect; or

(d)       any of the following mitral or aortic valve disorders:

1. calcification; or
2. Lambl's excrescences; or
3. mitral valve prolapse; or
4. prosthetic valve; or
5. regurgitation; or
6. stenosis; or
7. valvulitis; or

(e)        any of the following procedures within the seven days before the clinical onset of cerebral ischaemia:

1. cardiac surgery or cardiac catheterisation; or
2. catheterisation of or injection into the arteries supplying the affected area of the brain; or
3. orthopaedic surgery; or
4. surgery involving the arteries supplying the affected area of the brain; or
5. surgery or medical procedures involving the pulmonary veins; or

(f)        atrial fibrillation (intermittent or sustained); or

(g)       cardiomyopathy; or

(h)        infective or non-infective (marantic) endocarditis; or

(i)         left atrial aneurysm or dilatation; or

(j)         left ventricular aneurysm; or

(k)        left ventricular dyskinesia; or

(l)         sick sinus syndrome; or

(m)       thrombus formation within the pulmonary vein, left atrium, left ventricle or arteries supplying the affected area of the brain;