Pulmonary Embolism Detected in the General Ward after Operation: A Case Report.
- Author:
Se Hyun LEW
1
;
Jong Hun JUN
;
Hee Koo YOO
;
Yong Ho KIM
Author Information
1. Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Hanyang University College of Medicne, Seoul, Korea. jhjun@hanyang.ac.kr
- Publication Type:Case Report
- Keywords:
Deep vein thrombosis;
Pulmonary embolism;
Tachycardia
- MeSH:
Aged, 80 and over;
Anesthesia;
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation;
Echocardiography;
Electrocardiography;
Female;
Femur Neck;
Heart Arrest;
Heparin;
Humans;
Intensive Care Units;
Lower Extremity;
Lung Diseases;
Masks;
Mortality;
Orthopedic Procedures;
Oxygen;
Patients' Rooms*;
Pulmonary Embolism*;
Tachycardia;
Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator;
Venous Thrombosis
- From:The Korean Journal of Critical Care Medicine
2004;19(1):38-41
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
Pulmonary embolism is a common medical complication following major orthopedic procedures of the lower extremities and a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. However, the clinical manifestations of pulmonary embolism are nonspecific and it may be difficult to diagnose. An 82 years old female with severe restrictive pulmonary disease received the elective operation for the fracture of left femur neck under combined spinal-epidural anesthesia. During the operation, we sometimes gave her oxygen via face mask and maintained oxygen saturation of more than 80% which was measured by a pulse oxymeter. The operation and anesthesia was performed uneventfully. On the seventh postoperative day, she showed tachycardia suddenly and cardiac arrest later on the electrocardiogram. After cardiopulmonary resuscitation, she was transferred to intensive care unit and checked by a computed tomography and echocardiography. She was diagnosed with pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis and treated with heparin and urokinase. But she did not improve and died.
