Anesth Pain Med.  2010 Oct;5(4):338-342.

Pulmonary embolism developing during recovery period of total abdominal hysterectomy: A case report

• Park JT
• Kim SG
• Lee JY
• Um DJ

Abstract

Pulmonary embolism is a not uncommon perioperative complication that results in substantial morbidity and mortality. However prompt diagnosis is difficult because clinical symptoms and signs of pulmonary embolism are not completely obvious. We report a case of severe pulmonary embolism on the first postoperative day of total abdominal hysterectomy in a patient transfused preoperatively for iron deficiency anemia caused by menorrhagia. We diagnosed pulmonary embolism by echocardiogram and chest spiral computerized tomography and the patient was moved to the intensive care unit. Tissue plasminogen activator was given and followed by continuous heparin infusion but the patient did not improve. He developed multiple organ dysfunction syndrome and died on the seventh postoperative day.

Keyword

Anemia; Hysterectomy; Postoperative complication; Pulmonary embolism; Transfusion

MeSH Terms

Anemia
Anemia, Iron-Deficiency
Female
Heparin
Humans
Hysterectomy
Intensive Care Units
Menorrhagia
Multiple Organ Failure
Postoperative Complications
Pulmonary Embolism
Thorax
Tissue Plasminogen Activator
Tomography, Spiral Computed
Heparin
Tissue Plasminogen Activator