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.
Lee
Peter H U
PH
Department of Surgery, Tufts University School of Medicine, St. Elizabeth's Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Shulman
Mark S
MS
Vellayappan
Usha
U
Symes
James F
JF
Olenchock
Stephen A
SA
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*