Aortic dissection in pregnant patients results in an inpatient mortality rate of 8.6%. Owing to the pronounced mortality rate and speed at which aortic dissections progress, efficient early detection methods are crucial. Here, we highlight the importance of early chest computed tomography (CT) for differentiating aortic dissection from pulmonary embolism in pregnant patients with dyspnea. We present the unique case of a 38-year-old pregnant woman with elevated D-dimer and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels, initially suspected of having a pulmonary embolism. Initial transthoracic echocardiography did not indicate aortic dissection. Surprisingly, after an emergency cesarean section, a chest CT scan revealed a DeBakey type I aortic dissection, indicating a diagnostic error. Our findings emphasize the need for early chest CT in pregnant patients with dyspnea and elevated D-dimer and NT-proBNP levels. This case report highlights the critical importance of considering both aortic dissection and pulmonary embolism in the differential diagnosis of such cases, which will inform future clinical practice.
BACKGROUND Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE) are conditions with significant morbidity and mortality. Proximal DVT has a significant association with PE and possible fatal outcomes. Traditionally, PE is subdivided into symptomatic PE and asymptomatic PE, which have different treatments, preventions and prognoses. The growing utilization of computed tomography pulmonary angiography has led to increased detection of PE in DVT patients. This study examined the clinical characteristics and compared symptomatic PE and asymptomatic PE following proximal DVT. METHODS: The medical records of 258 DVT inpatients from July, 2012 to June, 2015 were reviewed retrospectively. After excluding the patients who did not performed PE evaluation and were not diagnosed with PE, 95 patients diagnosed with PE following proximal DVT were enrolled in this study. They were divided into the symptomatic PE group and asymptomatic PE group. RESULTS: The body weight, body mass index, thrombus size, thrombus length and location were similar in the two groups. The symptomatic PE following proximal DVT group showed an older age, higher incidence of emergency department access (85.0% vs. 38.7%, p < 0.001) and preceding infection (25.0% vs. 1.3%, p < 0.001) as well as a higher incidence of immobilization (45.0% vs 13.3%, p=0.016). In the multivariate logistic regression study, preceding infection and emergency department access showed significant association with symptomatic PE. CONCLUSION: In proximal DVT inpatients, symptomatic PE was associated with emergency department access and preceding infection. The possibility of a symptomatic PE event should be considered in proximal DVT patients, especially those who were admitted through the emergency department and had preceding infection.
Nephrotic syndrome is associated with a hypercoagulable state, which results in thromboembolism as one of its main complications. Various pathogenetic factors that cause the hypercoagulable state in nephrotic syndrome have been recognized. We report on a 19-year-old female with a minimal-change disease who developed pulmonary thromboembolism combined with intracardiac thrombus while on tapering steroid. Our patient showed hypoalbuminemia with an episode of shock, and was successfully treated with thrombolysis and anticoagulation therapy.
Pyogenic liver abscess with metastatic septic complications is a rare and serious infectious disease if not treated properly. Pyogenic liver abscesses are caused by bacterial, fungal, or parasitic organisms. Escherichia coli used to be the predominant causative agent, but Klebsiella pneumoniae emerged as a major cause in the 1990s. Liver abscesses are caused by hepatic invasion via many routes, such as, the biliary tree, portal vein, hepatic artery, direct extension, or penetrating trauma. Furthermore, diabetes mellitus and malignant conditions are established important risk factors of K. pneumoniae liver abscesses and of septic metastasis, and several recent studies have asserted that K. pneumoniae liver abscess might be a presentation of occult or silent colon cancer. We report a case of K. pneumoniae liver abscess, metastatic septic pulmonary embolism, and endophthalmitis associated with diabetes and advanced gastric cancer.
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Gastric cancer and adenomatous colorectal polyp concomitant with pyogenic liver abscess and bacteremia Min Kyu Kang, Hee Jung Kwon, Min Cheol Kim Yeungnam University Journal of Medicine.2020; 37(3): 246. CrossRef
A Case of Advanced Gastric Cancer Concomitant with Pyogenic Liver Abscess in the Patient with Subtotal Gastrectomy Dong-Hee Park, Nae-Yun Heo, Heon Sa-Kong, Na-Ri Jeong, Su-Jin Jeong, Sung Jin Oh, Kyung Han Nam The Korean Journal of Gastroenterology.2017; 69(2): 143. CrossRef
Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), a fatal acute diabetic complication, is characterized by severe metabolic decompensation and intravascular volume depletion. These conditions may result in hypercoagulability and prothrombic state. Pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) could be presented as an uncommon and life-threatening complication of DKA. Reported herein is a case involving a 54-year-old male patient who was admitted with DKA due to chronic alcohol consumption and stopping the intake of oral antidiabetic drugs. After low-molecular-weight heparin and warfarin treatment because of PTE during the DKA treatment, the patient's condition improved over the week that he was discharged on insulin and warfarin.
Protein S deficiency is one of the several risk factors for thrombophilia and can cause blood clotting disorders such as deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. A 54-year-old man was admitted with the complaint of dyspnea and was diagnosed with pulmonary embolism. The patient had very low level of free protein S, total protein S antigen, and protein S activity (type I protein S deficiency). In history taking, we found that his mother, 78 year old, had a history of same disease 10 years ago, and confirmed the pronounced low level of protein S. The patient's son also had very low level of protein S, however there had not been any history of pulmonary embolism yet. This case study suggests that asymptomatic persons with a family history of protein S deficiency and pulmonary embolism should be checked regularly for early detection of the disease, as protein S deficiency can be suspected.
Pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) increases the pressure of the right ventricle and leads to symptoms and signs, such as dyspnea and hypoxia. If PTE causes hemodynamic instability, thrombolytic therapy should be considered. A mechanical thrombectomy is an alternative treatment to thrombolytic therapy and should be considered when thrombolytic therapy is contraindicated. Various devices are used in mechanical maceration and catheter-directed thrombolysis, but there is no standard mechanical device for PTE as yet. We report here on 2 clinical experiences of mechanical thrombectomy using the Arrow-Trerotola percutaneous thrombolytic device to remove residual clots after systemic thrombolysis in patients with massive PTE.
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Pulmonary thromboembolism combined with intracardiac thrombus occurred during the steroid reduction in nephrotic syndrome patient Se Jin Lee, Ji Young Park, Sung Kee Ryu, Jae Woong Choi, Won Young Chae, Hee Yun Ryu, Min Seok Yoo, Yoon Suk Bak Yeungnam University Journal of Medicine.2016; 33(1): 25. CrossRef
Renal cell carcinoma occasionally invades the inferior vena cava and rarely extends to the right atrium and occurred massive pulmonary embolism. A healthy 54-year-old man presented to the emergency room with anterior chest pain, dyspnea and hypotension from which he had been suffering for several hours. We diagnosed him as left renal cell carcinoma with acute both pulmonary arteries embolism. The patient underwent a complex surgical procedure in which left radical nephrectomy, inferior vena cava thrombectomy and both pulmonary arteries thromboembolectomy under deep hypothermic circulatory arrest. Total circulatory arrest time was 44 minutes. We should use many inotropic agents for weaning of cardiopulmonary bypass. The patient had many postoperative complications including of acute renal failure, respiratory distress and sepsis. He died from septic shock and multi organ failure at 36th postoperative day.
Silicone is widely used for medical purposes in breast augmentation and other cosmetic procedures. Illegal injections of silicone in human beings might have adverse effects and one of the serious problems is a silicone embolism. We experienced five cases of unusual respiratory difficulties after an injection of liquid silicone in the breast, vagina, uterus, and hip. They were all young adult females, who were previously healthy. One of them died after the injection. The three remaining patients were admitted because of dyspnea, coughing, chest discomfort and bilateral pulmonary infiltration after the silicone injection. A transbronchial lung biopsy and autopsy disclosed many oil like materials filling the alveolar septal capillaries. Three patients underwent a computed tomogram (CT), which revealed multifocal airspace consolidations at the peripheral and non-dependent portions of both lungs, which is a different finding from other thromboembolisms. Lung scans of the disclosed abnormalities were compatible with silicone induced pulmonary embolism.