Life-threatening pulmonary emboli and cor pulmonale: treatment with percutaneous pulmonary artery stent placement.
Large, central bilateral pulmonary emboli led to cor pulmonale and severe hypoxemia in a patient who had recently undergone cardiac surgery. After percutaneous catheter fragmentation and thrombolysis of the emboli failed, the left and right interlobal pulmonary arteries were recanalized by placement of self-expanding Wallstent endoprostheses through the clots. Pulmonary perfusion was restored to the lower lobes, and the patient demonstrated rapid clinical improvement.
Haskal
Z J
ZJ
Department of Radiology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia 19104.
Soulen
M C
MC
Huettl
E A
EA
Palevsky
H I
HI
Cope
C
C
D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000628:therapy; D011651:Pulmonary Artery; D011652:Pulmonary Circulation / Q000502:physiology; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000628:therapy*; D011660:Pulmonary Heart Disease / Q000628:therapy*; D015607:Stents; D015912:Thrombolytic Therapy