title: [Perioperative pulmonary embolism: a nationwide survey in Japan].
abstract: Pulmonary embolism is a leading cause of death and morbidity in the perioperative period. To obtain a contemporary overview of the epidemiology of acute pulmonary embolism, a questionnaire was mailed to anesthesia department chair-persons at 179 hospitals in Japan. The 158 cases were reported from the 88 hospitals. The cause of embolism was thromboembolism 127, gas 13, fat 9, amniotic fluid 4 and tumor 3. The mortality rate for patients with thromboembolism was high (29%). Dyspnea was the most frequent symptom (60%) and hypotension was the most frequent clinical sign (54%). The signs which suggested massive pulmonary embolism, such as hypotension, cyanosis (53%), syncope (39%) and cardiac arrest (29%) were frequently seen. Most of the pulmonary embolisms occurred during the operation and within 7 days after the operation. The high risk factors associated with thromboembolism were age, malignancy, obesity and the type of surgery performed. Treatment performed included anticoagulation 81%, catecholamine infusion 66%, thrombolysis 14%, surgical embolectomy 8% and extra-corporeal circulation 4%. This study indicates that the perioperative pulmonary embolism is still associated with high mortality and requires an immediate diagnosis and intensive therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Teikyo University Mizonokuchi Hospital, Kawasaki.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sha
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ikeda
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tanifuji
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000761:Anesthesia Department, Hospital; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007431:Intraoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires