Open AccessPulmonary embolism: the role of emergency scan and intervening radiology in medium-high-risk patients with pulmonary embolism
Author(s) -
Eleonora Arboscello,
Irene Ponassi,
A. Lomeo,
M. Parodi,
Paolo Barbera,
Michela Morfino,
N. Pollicardo,
Roberto Delfino,
Dahane Mhamed,
Roberto Tallone
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
emergency care journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2282-2054
pISSN - 1826-9826
DOI - 10.4081/ecj.2010.1.5
Subject(s) - medicine , thrombolysis , embolectomy , pulmonary embolism , radiology , percutaneous , pulmonary angiography , angiography , computed tomography angiography , cardiology , myocardial infarction
Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a relative common cardiovascular emergency. Computed tomography (CT) angiography has became the method of choice for suspected PE in routine clinical practice but CT should not be the first-line test for all patients, except suspected high-risk patients and high clinical probability or “PE likely” patients. In these situations emergency phisician ‘s echographic cardiac study can be particularly helpful for a rapid patient management. The two cases prove the helpful use of echografic cardiac study in emergency room and rivet the necessity of an aggressive therapeutic management with primary aim of flow restoration through occluded pulmonary arteries. Percutaneous catheter embolectomy and fragmentation of proximal pulmonary arterial clots may be considerer, with multidisciplinary approach, as an alternative when thrombolysis is absolutely contraindicated or has failed, or as an alternative to surgical treatment