Impact of the incidental diagnosis of clinically unsuspected central pulmonary artery thromboembolism in treatment of critically ill patients.
Chest
; 105(4): 986-90, 1994 Apr.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-8162798
Mortality is high in unrecognized pulmonary embolism (PE), but the diagnosis is difficult to establish, especially in patients with coexisting cardiopulmonary disorders. We describe a group of 14 patients with pulmonary thromboemboli in whom transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) performed for coexisting cardiopulmonary conditions established the clinical diagnosis of PE not suspected prior to TEE. The patients had initial clinical diagnoses of heart failure (eight patients), cardiogenic shock (two patients), atrial septal defect (two patients), aortic dissection (one patient), and pneumonia (one patient). Thirteen patients had risk factors for PE. Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) demonstrated right heart strain in eight patients but did not visualize PE in any of the patients. The TEE diagnosis of occult central pulmonary artery thromboembolism changed treatment in all 14 patients. Ten of the 14 patients were successfully discharged from the hospital. We conclude that occult central pulmonary artery thromboemboli are not uncommon in patients presenting with acute cardiopulmonary disorders and the presence of risk factors for PE and right heart strain on TTE should alert the physician to suspect PE. If and when TEE is performed in patients with acute cardiopulmonary disorders with risk factors for PE and right heart strain, the physician should evaluate the main pulmonary artery and its branches for central pulmonary artery thromboemboli.
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Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Embolia Pulmonar
Tipo de estudo:
Diagnostic_studies
/
Etiology_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
Limite:
Adult
/
Aged
/
Aged80
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
/
Middle aged
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Chest
Ano de publicação:
1994
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de publicação:
Estados Unidos