Document Detail


Pulmonary embolism with unexpected echocardiogram findings.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  20469628     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
A 56-year-old woman was evaluated for dyspnea in the emergency department. She had no risk factors for venous thromboembolism except hormone replacement therapy; however, pulmonary embolism was suspected and subsequently confirmed via computed tomographic angiogram. An echocardiogram was conducted to further assess right ventricular function, revealing marked right ventricular enlargement and a mobile mass in the left atrium (initially suspected to be an atrial myxoma). After subsequent embolization to the left axillary artery, thrombolysis was administered, and embolectomy confirmed this to be thrombus. A repeat echocardiogram showed resolution. This case highlights that although echocardiography can be helpful in risk stratification when assessing patients with pulmonary embolism, unexpected findings may be encountered. When clinicians identify multiple clinical findings, Occam's razor suggests that these multiple findings are most likely related.
Authors:
Kencee K Graves; Larry S Green; Robert C Pendleton
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Case Reports; Journal Article    
Journal Detail:
Title:  Hospital practice (1995)     Volume:  38     ISSN:  2154-8331     ISO Abbreviation:  Hosp Pract (Minneap)     Publication Date:  2010 Feb 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2010-05-17     Completed Date:  2010-06-03     Revised Date:  2010-06-18    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  101268948     Medline TA:  Hosp Pract (Minneap)     Country:  United States    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  84-8     Citation Subset:  AIM; IM    
Affiliation:
University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT 84132, USA. kencee.graves@hsc.utah.edu
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Acute Disease
Axillary Artery
Dyspnea / etiology
Echocardiography, Transesophageal
Embolectomy
Embolization, Therapeutic
Female
Heart Atria
Heart Diseases / complications,  therapy,  ultrasonography*
Humans
Hypertrophy, Right Ventricular / complications,  ultrasonography*
Middle Aged
Pulmonary Embolism / complications,  therapy,  ultrasonography*
Risk Assessment
Thrombolytic Therapy
Thrombosis / complications,  therapy,  ultrasonography*

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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