Saddle pulmonary embolus

Case contributed by Henry Knipe
Diagnosis certain

Presentation

Shortness of breath and chest pain.

Patient Data

Age: 70 years
Gender: Male
ct

Extensive filling defect that extends across the origin of the main pulmonary arteries with extension into lobar and segmental pulmonary arteries bilaterally. Evidence of right heart strain with relative enlargement of the right heart compared to the left heart with straightening of the interventricular septum. 

Case Discussion

The patient was 10 days post abdominal surgery putting them at increased risk of pulmonary embolus. The patient was admitted to intensive care and underwent thrombectomy, subsequently making a slow but uneventful recovery.

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