Thromboembolic episode IVC to left ventricle

My father recently died on the operating table in Yale-New Haven Hospital in New Haven, CT.(11/23/09)  He had a 14x11x11cm tumor on his right kidney.  His legs were swollen to about 5x their normal size, as he had developed extensive blood clots from hip to ankle.  His testicles were about 10x normal size.  They were 3 hours into the surgery, attempting to remove the right kidney.  Apparently, a blood clot broke free in his IVC and travelled to his heart.  I am looking at the death certificate and it says "Thromboembolic episode IVC to left ventricle" under cause of death.  My question is....wouldn't a clot from the IVC end up in the right ventricle?  Does this mean that the clot travelled all the way through the pulmonary circuit to the left venticle?  He had a number of stents in his coronary arteries and had a quadruple bypass at age 44 (he was 61).  Also, the surgeon mentioned that they attempted to insert a device into his throat to break up the clot, I believe he referred to it as an ultrasound device.  Can someone provide me with some information?  I do have an appointment to speak with the surgeon in a few weeks, and these are questions I will ask him as well, but I would appreciate all the help I can get. Thank you.