title: Amniotic fluid embolism after surgical trauma: two case reports and review of the literature.
abstract: Amniotic fluid embolism (AFE) is a relatively rare condition usually occurring during or shortly after pregnancy and is catastrophic in most cases. The classical description is a sudden onset of dyspnoea, cyanosis and hypotension out of proportion to the blood loss, followed quickly by cardiorespiratory arrest. Up to 20% of patients will have seizures and up to 40% will have consumptive coagulopathy. If the patient survives the initial phase, a non-cardiogenic pulmonary oedema will follow in up to 70% of all cases. We report on two cases of severe and near fatal amniotic fluid embolism during pregnancy. Surgical trauma, caused by a blow in the stomach and a surgical intervention, was considered to be the aetiology.
authors.affiliation: Department of Critical Care Medicine, University Hospital of Antwerp, Belgium. Christine.Pluymakers@uza.be
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pluymakers
authors.forename: Annick
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: De Weerdt
authors.forename: Yves
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jacquemyn
authors.forename: Cecile
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Colpaert
authors.forename: Els
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Van de Poel
authors.forename: Philippe G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Jorens
mesh_terms: D000022:Abortion, Spontaneous; D000328:Adult; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000601:surgery; D004107:Dilatation and Curettage; D004619:Embolism, Amniotic Fluid / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007813:Laparotomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012131:Respiratory Insufficiency / Q000503:physiopathology; D014626:Vaginal Smears