Korean J Obstet Gynecol.  2012 Jun;55(6):408-412. 10.5468/KJOG.2012.55.6.408.

A case of primary pulmonary hypertension diagnosed at postpartum

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Soonchunhyang University Cheonan Hospital, Soonchunhyang University College of Medicine, Cheonan, Korea. drsook@schmc.ac.kr

Abstract

Primary pulmonary hypertension is a rare disorder and rarely present in pregnant woman, but it make high risk of maternal morbidity and mortality. When a woman with subclinical primary pulmonary hypertension is pregnant, physiologic increase in maternal plasma volume aggravates pulmonary pressure cause cardiac arrest and maternal death. We diagnosed primary pulmonary hypertension in parous woman who didn't present at any symptom during pregnancy but had dyspnea 7 days after preterm vaginal delivery at 30 weeks 6 days. We report this case with brief review of literatures.

Keyword

Primary pulmonary hypertension; Dyspnea; Pregnancy

MeSH Terms

Dyspnea
Female
Heart Arrest
Humans
Hypertension, Pulmonary
Maternal Death
Plasma Volume
Postpartum Period
Pregnancy
Pregnant Women
Hypertension, Pulmonary

Figure

  • Fig. 1 The electrocardiogram shows T wave inversion in lead V1-V5 (arrow), it means ischemia of anterolateral wall.

  • Fig. 2 Chest computed tomography shows enlargement of main pulmonary artery (arrow).

  • Fig. 3 (A) Echocardiographic finding shows that dilated right atrium and enlargement of right ventricle (arrow). (B) Maximal right ventricular pressure that checked at tricuspid regurgitation flow was shown.


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