Pulmonary embolism in hospital practice

Clinics in diagnostic imaging (152). Right lower lobe segmental pulmonary embolus

A 56-year-old man presented to the Accident and Emergency Department with pleuritic chest pain of sudden onset. He gave a history of short-distance air travel ten days earlier. Chest radiograph showed a peripheral-based opacity in the right lower zone, which was not seen in a previous study done three months ago, suggestive of Hampton's hump. The D-dimer level was raised. Computed tomography pulmonary angiography confirmed the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism in a right lower lobe segmental branch, with adjacent collapsed lung, consistent with lung infarction. The patient was started on heparin injection with significant relief of his symptoms. The clinical and imaging features of pulmonary embolism are described, with emphasis on the historical radiographic signs and the current dual-energy computed tomography innovations.

Pulmonary complications of renal disorders

To manage patients with diseases of the lungs and the kidneys, one must first understand the relationship between respiratory and renal function. In treating acute renal failure (ARF), the clinician often must contend with respiratory manifestations of volume overload and metabolic acidosis. Mechanical ventilation in patients with renal failure (RF) can be challenging, particularly with lung protective ventilation and weaning. Patients with chronic renal failure (CRF) experience several respiratory complications. Hypoxaemia during dialysis is now understood to be a predictable effect of the loss of CO(2) into the dialysate. Critical illness of any primary cause predisposes patients not only to acute lung injury (ALI) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) but also to the development of ARF. Meanwhile, the potential for ventilator-induced renal injury has increasingly become the subject of active investigation.

A study of pulmonary embolism after abdominal surgery in patients undergoing prophylaxis

AIM: To determine risk factors for pulmonary embolism and estimate effects and benefits of prophylaxis.

METHODS: We included 78 patients who died subsequently to a pulmonary embolism after major abdominal surgery from 1985 to 2003. A first, retrospective analysis involved 41 patients who underwent elective surgery between 1985 and 1990 without receiving any prophylaxis. In the prospectively evaluated subgroup, 37 patients undergoing major surgery between 1991 and 2003 were enrolled: all of them had received a prophylaxis consisting in low-molecular weight heparin, given subcutaneously at a dose of 2850 IU AXa/0.3 mL (body weight < 50 kg) or 5700 IU AXa/0.6 mL (body weight ≥ 50 kg).

RESULTS: A higher incidence of thromboembolism (43.9% and 46.34% in the two groups, respectively) was found in older patients (> 60 years). The incidence of pulmonary embolism after major abdominal surgery in patients who had received the prophylaxis was significantly lower compared to the subjects with the same condition who had not received any prophylaxis (P < 0.001, OR = 2.825; 95% CI, 1.811-4.408). Furthermore, the incidence of pulmonary embolism after colorectal cancer surgery was significantly higher compared to incidence of pulmonary embolism after other abdominal surgical procedures. Finally, the incidence of pulmonary embolism after colorectal cancer surgery among the patients who had received the prophylaxis (11/4316, 0.26%) was significantly lower compared to subjects undergoing a surgical procedure for the same indication but without prophylaxis (10/1562, 0.64%) (P < 0.05, OR = 2.522; 95% CI, 1.069-5.949).

CONCLUSION: Prophylaxis with low molecular weight heparin is highly recommended during the preoperative period in patients with diagnosis of colorectal cancer due to high risk of pulmonary embolism after elective surgery.

Thromboembolic disease after total knee replacement: experience of 5100 cases

The aim of the study was to quantify the incidence and timing of venous thromboembolic events (VTE) after total knee replacement (TKR). Data from 5100 consecutive TKRs performed over 10 years were prospectively collected. Cases were reviewed to identify thromboprophylaxis given, the diagnosis of VTE, treatment and adverse outcomes. There were 3 deaths (0.059%) from pulmonary embolism (PE). Of 123 VTEs identified, 55 had PE, 17 had above knee deep vein thrombosis (DVT), 28 had calf DVT and 14 had been incorrectly coded as VTE. There was considerable inappropriate treatment of calf DVT with resultant morbidity. There was an increase in diagnosis of PE between days 1 and 5 post surgery in the later part of the study, corresponding with increasing use of CT Pulmonary Angiography. Increasing diagnosis of PE may be due to detection of embolic debris from surgery due to greater vigilance rather than post-operative thromboembolism. Death from PE is rare following TKR.

MDCT of 220 consecutive patients with suspected acute pulmonary embolism: incidence of pulmonary embolism and of other acute or non-acute thoracic findings

PURPOSE

This study was undertaken to evaluate the incidence of pulmonary embolism (PE) and other clinically relevant thoracic findings discovered on contrast-enhanced multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) examination in patients with a suspicion of acute PE.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed 220 reports of 40-row MDCT exams in consecutive patients (101 men, 119 women; mean age 55 years+/-18) suspected for acute PE. Presenting symptoms and risk factors were recorded. Image quality and incidence of PE and other clinically relevant thoracic findings were evaluated.

RESULTS

MDCT were diagnostic in 96.8% of patients. Nineteen patients (8.6%) were positive for PE. Signs and symptoms were present in 82.7% (182) and risk factors in 38.2% (84) of the population. Clinically relevant thoracic findings were detected in 45.9% (101) of the patients. Ten patients had PE and other thoracic findings. Half of the patients (110) had neither PE nor other clinically relevant thoracic findings.

CONCLUSIONS

Chest MDCT, with an excellent overall image quality, provided an explanation for the clinical presentation in about 50% of emergency department patients studied and was useful in detecting PE and other thoracic diseases with symptoms mimicking PE. However, half of the exams were negative.

Recent advances in cardiorespiratory medicine: management of pulmonary embolism and prevention of venous thromboembolism, recent treatment strategies in childhood asthma, and dermatological adverse reactions to cardiovascular drugs

This article is the fifth in a series of CPD articles aimed at reviewing the recent general medical literature relating to topics that may be of interest to dermatologists. This issue looks at advances in cardiorespiratory medicine, including the management of pulmonary embolism and prevention of venous thromboembolism (VT), recent treatment strategies in childhood asthma, and an update on dermatological adverse reactions to cardiovascular drugs.

Pulmonary Embolism in a 3-Year-Old Boy with Nephrotic Syndrome

We present the case of a 3-year-old boy with nephrotic syndrome with mild respiratory symptoms who was shown by ventilation-perfusion scan to have pulmonary embolism. He responded well to anticoagulant therapy.