title: Pulmonary embolus and patent foramen ovale: a rare cause of refractory hypoxaemia.
abstract: A patient with a large pulmonary embolus is described. The striking features were those of cardiovascular stability with hypoxaemia and hypercapnia. Cardiac catheterization confirmed the pulmonary embolus; in addition there was found to be a patent foramen ovale (PFO), causing a large right-to-left shunt. Removal of the pulmonary embolus and closure of the PFO dramatically improved alveolar-arterial oxygen gradient and ventilatory requirements.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthetics, St George's Hospital, London.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Brydon
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Fawcett
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Treasure
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Clarke
mesh_terms: D006344:Heart Septal Defects, Atrial / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000150:complications*