title: Pulmonary embolism presenting as supraventricular tachycardia in paraplegia: a case report.
abstract: Supraventricular tachycardia as a presenting sign of pulmonary embolism is unusual. A 31-year-old man with incomplete T11 paraplegia on the basis of spinal cord ischemia developed supraventricular tachycardia 37 days after surgery to repair an aortic tear. Subsequent work-up revealed evidence of multiple submassive pulmonary emboli, despite thromboembolism prophylaxis. Clinicians should maintain a high index of suspicion for thromboembolic events when faced with cardiac rhythm disturbances in high-risk patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, University of Rochester Medical Center, NY.
authors.forename: G G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Fluter
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010264:Paraplegia / Q000150:complications*; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology*; D013617:Tachycardia, Supraventricular / Q000209:etiology*