Surgical treatment of an amniotic fluid embolism with cardiopulmonary collapse.
Amniotic fluid embolism is a rare but devastating condition associated with a very high rate of morbidity and mortality. The treatment has traditionally been aggressive supportive care. We report a case of a term pregnant woman with complete cardiovascular collapse secondary to a paradoxical amniotic fluid embolism. The embolism was seen on transesophageal echocardiogram during an emergency Cesarean section as a free-floating interatrial clot through a patent foramen ovale. She was subsequently and successfully treated with immediate cardiopulmonary bypass, thromboembolectomy, and closure of the patent foramen ovale.
Department of Surgery, Tufts University School of Medicine, St. Elizabeth's Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Peter H U
PH
Lee
Mark S
MS
Shulman
Usha
U
Vellayappan
James F
JF
Symes
Stephen A
SA
Olenchock
D000328:Adult; D002315:Cardiopulmonary Bypass; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D004619:Embolism, Amniotic Fluid / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D054092:Foramen Ovale, Patent / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D012769:Shock / Q000209:etiology*