Korean J Obstet Gynecol.  2011 Jan;54(1):62-65. 10.5468/KJOG.2011.54.1.62.

Fatal pulmonary thromboembolism after uterine artery embolization for uterine myoma: A case report

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chosun University School of Medicine, Gwangju, Korea. bimilo@hanmail.net

Abstract

A 34-year-old woman with 10x8 cm sized myoma who was unmarried state willing to be pregnant received uterine artery embolization to treat myoma. There was no problem in pre-operative, per-operative and post-operative laboratory or physical exam but patient had sudden death that later confirmed to be pulmonary thromboembolism in the autopsy. Uterine artery embolization is a minimally invasive method to treat uterine myoma. Although there can be some complications, thromboembolic complications after uterine artery embolization are very infrequent. We present a case of death occurred from a pulmonary embolism after uterine artery embolization to treat uterine myoma.

Keyword

Myoma; Embolization; Complications; Thromboembolism

MeSH Terms

Adult
Autopsy
Death, Sudden
Female
Humans
Myoma
Pulmonary Embolism
Single Person
Thromboembolism
Uterine Artery
Uterine Artery Embolization

Figure

  • Fig. 1 (A) Massive myoma staining is seen. (B) Abdominal aortography: enlarged uterine arteries were seen (arrow).

  • Fig. 2 Embolization of the right uterine artery (A), left uterine artery (arrow). (B) Blood flow is blocked successfully (arrow).

  • Fig. 3 Pulmonary arterial thromboembolism: microscopic finding reveals red blood cells, scattered inflammatory cells and fibrin clot showing lines of Zahn (H&E, ×200).


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