Unexpected Multiple Organ Infarctions in a Poisoned Patient
10.4266/kjccm.2015.30.3.227
- Author:
Sung Wook PARK
1
;
Sang Kyoon HAN
;
Seok Ran YEOM
;
Soon Chang PARK
;
Sung Hwa LEE
Author Information
1. Department of Emergency Medicine, Pusan National University Hospital, Busan, Korea. 98hansoft@hanmail.net
- Publication Type:Case Report
- Keywords:
infarction;
thrombophilia;
venous thromboembolism
- MeSH:
Angiography;
Anoxia;
Causality;
Echocardiography;
Emergency Service, Hospital;
Female;
Humans;
Infarction;
Intensive Care Units;
Middle Aged;
Protein C Deficiency;
Pulmonary Embolism;
Risk Factors;
Splenic Infarction;
Thrombophilia;
Venous Thromboembolism;
Venous Thrombosis
- From:The Korean Journal of Critical Care Medicine
2015;30(3):227-230
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Predisposing factors for venous thrombosis can be identified in the majority of patients with established venous thromboembolism (VTE). However, an obvious precipitant may not be identified during the initial evaluation of such patients. In the present case, a 47-year-old female presented to the emergency department of our hospital after ingesting multiple drugs. She had no VTE-related risk factors or previous episodes, nor any family history of VTE. After admission to the intensive care unit sudden hypoxemia developed, and during the evaluation cerebral, renal, and splenic infarctions with pulmonary embolisms were diagnosed. However, the sources of the emboli could not be identified by transthoracic echocardiography or computed tomography angiography. Protein C deficiency was identified several days later. We recommend that hypercoagulable states be taken into consideration, especially when unexplained thromboembolic events develop in multiple or unusual venous sites.
