Open AccessEmergency Embolectomy in a Patient with Massive Pulmonary Embolism during Second Trimester Pregnancy
Author(s) -
Blegvad Susanne,
Lund Ole,
Nielsen Torsten Toftegaard,
Guldholt Inger
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
acta obstetricia et gynecologica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.401
H-Index - 102
eISSN - 1600-0412
pISSN - 0001-6349
DOI - 10.3109/00016348909021001
Subject(s) - medicine , embolectomy , pulmonary embolism , pregnancy , surgery , extracorporeal circulation , embolism , cardiology , genetics , biology
Emergency pulmonary embolectomy was performed successfully on a patient in her second trimester of pregnancy. The patient had severe right ventricular failure due to obstruction of 85% of the pulmonary arterial circulation. Three months after embolectomy she was delivered of a normal infant. The problem of significant but misinterpreted or overlooked clinical and electrocardiographic signs of pulmonary embolism is discussed. Thrombolytic therapy during pregnancy imposes considerable risk of bleeding with deleterious effects on both mother and fetus. In our opinion, emergency embolectomy during extracorporeal circulation is the best treatment in case of massive emboli during pregnancy.