Massive intraoperative pulmonary embolism in a child.
An 11-yr-old girl suffered a massive pulmonary embolus during an operation to insert an artificial bladder sphincter. Forty minutes after the induction of anaesthesia, the heart rate increased and she became hypotensive and deeply cyanosed. A definitive diagnosis was not made during surgery, but she improved after 45 min of resuscitation with 100% oxygen, infusion of normal saline, ephedrine (total 45 mg) and intermittent external cardiac massage. The diagnosis was proved the next day by lung perfusion scan. There were no apparent risk factors.
D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007431:Intraoperative Complications; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000209:etiology*; D001743:Urinary Bladder / Q000601:surgery*