Cronkhite-Canada syndrome complicated with pulmonary embolism:A case report

BACKGROUND Cronkhite-Canada syndrome(CCS)is a rare disease,that causes gastrointestinal polyps,ectodermal abnormalities,and gastrointestinal symptoms.CCS is prone to thromboembolism,but clinical workers have not yet established a clinical consciousness of preventing thromboembolism.The present case illustrates pulmonary embolism(PE)complicated by CCS.CASE SUMMARY A 46-year-old male patient presented with mucus,purulent,and bloody stool.Ectodermal changes included skin pigmentation,alopecia,and nail dystrophy.Colonoscopy revealed the presence of multiple polyps.After a comprehensive evaluation,the patient was diagnosed with CCS.During the disease,he was also diagnosed with pulmonary embolism,Riehl's melanosis,and intestinal flora imbalance.After symptomatic treatment with omeprazole,mesalazine,rivaroxaban,nutritional support,and regulation of intestinal flora,the patient’s symptoms were significantly relieved.CONCLUSION CCS complicated with PE was reported for the first time in China in this study.Despite the fact that CCS is extremely rare,patients with CCS should be classified as a high-risk venous thromboembolism(VTE)population,and emphasis should be placed on venous thromboembolism risk assessment and stratification,deep venous thromboembolism screening,prevention of VTE,and careful long-term follow-up.

Research progress on the clinical diagnosis and treatment of COPD with pulmonary embolism

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD)is one of the most common and important diseases leading to the death of elderly patients in the world at present.It is characterized by continuous airflow restriction and irreversible chronic airway obstruction,which can easily lead to a variety of complications and accompanying symptoms,greatly affecting the quality of life of individuals and increasing the economic burden of families and society.Pulmonary embolism(PE)is one of the complications of COPD,which can lead to pulmonary blood circulation and respiratory failure,with a high risk of death.However,because its clinical symptoms overlap with the symptoms of acute exacerbation of COPD and lack of specific clinical manifestations and laboratory tests,it is easy to be misdiagnosed and ignored,thus delaying the treatment of patients and affecting the prognosis.This article will elaborate on the clinical diagnosis and treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease combined with pulmonary embolism,providing certain value for early identification of COPD combined with PE patients and the severity of the condition.

Pulmonary embolism after shoulder surgery:Is it a real threat?

Pulmonary embolism(PE)is a rare but devastating complication of shoulder surgery.Apart from increased morbidity and mortality rates,it may significantly impair postoperative recovery and functional outcome.Its frequency accounts for up to 5.7%of all shoulder surgery procedures with a higher occurrence in women and patients older than 70 years.It is most commonly associated with thrombophilia,diabetes mellitus,obesity,smoking,hypertension,and a history of malignancy.PE usually occurs secondary to upper or lower-extremity deep vein thrombosis(DVT).However,in rare cases,the source of the thrombi cannot be determined.Prophylaxis for PE following shoulder surgery remains a topic of debate,and the standard of care does not routinely require prophylactic medication for DVT prophylaxis.Early ambulation and elastic stockings are important preventative measures for DVT of the lower extremity and medical agents such as aspirin,low-molecular-weight heparin,and vitamin K antagonists are indicated for high-risk patients,long-lasting operations,or concomitant severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection.The most common symptoms of PE include chest pain and shortness of breath,but PE can also be asymptomatic in patients with intrinsic tolerance of hypoxia.Patients with DVT may also present with swelling and pain of the respective extremity.The treatment of PE includes inpatient or outpatient anticoagulant therapy if the patient is hemodynamically unstable or stable,respectively.Hemodynamic instability may require transfer to the intensive care unit,and cardiovascular arrest can be implicated in fatal events.An important issue for patients with PE in the postoperative period after shoulder surgery is residual stiffness due to a delay in rehabilitation and a prolonged hospital stay.Early physiotherapy and range-of-motion exercises do not adversely affect the prognosis of PE and are highly recommended to preserve shoulder mobility and function.

The Value of MLPR,NLR,and RDW in the Assessment of Combined Pulmonary Embolism in Elderly Patients with AECOPD

Objective:To investigate the diagnostic value of the monocyte-to-large-platelet ratio(MLPR),neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio(NLR),and red blood cell distribution width(RDW)for pulmonary embolism(PE)in patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(AECOPD).Methods:A total of 60 elderly AECOPD patients were enrolled and divided into embolus group(12 cases)and thrombus group(48 cases)according to whether they were combined with pulmonary embolism and the MLPR,NLR,and RDW values of the two groups were determined respectively.Results:The patients in the two groups had different degrees of vascular structural and functional abnormalities,and the MLPR,NLR,and RDW in the embolus group were significantly higher than those in the thrombus group(P<0.05);while the differences in NLR and RDW between the two groups were not significant.Conclusion:MLPR,NLR,and RDW can provide an objective basis for assessing PE in elderly AECOPD patients.

Thrombolysis in Pulmonary Embolia at the Cardiology Department of Aristide le Dantec Cardiology Department

Introduction: Venous thromboembolic disease is the 3rd most common cardiovascular pathology. Acute pulmonary embolism constitutes its most serious presentation and a major cause of mortality, morbidity and hospitalization in Africa and Senegal. The objectives of this work were to study the epidemiological profile of pulmonary embolisms and to evaluate the practice of thrombolysis in patients in a cardiological setting. Methodology: A retrospective, descriptive study was carried out in the Cardiology department of the Aristide le Dantec Hospital (HALD) over the period from August 2011 to December 2019 in patients hospitalized in the cardiology department for pulmonary embolism confirmed by CT angiography and/or with thrombi on cardiac ultrasound and who had also benefited from thrombolysis. Results: Thirty-one patients with pulmonary embolism were thrombolyzed. There was a predominance of the female gender with an average age of 45.97 years. Risk factors were dominated by age (61.29%) followed by obesity (32.26%) and prolonged immobilization (22.5%). The functional signs were dominated by dyspnea (77.42%) followed by chest pain (51.62%) and cough (35.48%). The physical signs were dominated by right heart failure in 22.5% of cases, pulmonary condensation syndrome in 19.35%, and inflammatory large leg in 12.9% of cases. Echocardiography and chest CT angiography were the means of diagnosis. Nine of our patients presented with an intracardiac mass. Thrombotic treatment was administered in all patients. The average length of hospitalization was 12.32 days and in-hospital mortality was 32.26%. Conclusion: Pulmonary embolism does exist in our regions and is responsible for heavy mortality. Rapid and efficient support is essential. Prevention remains the corner-stone in the fight against this pathology.

Evolving paradigm of thrombolysis in pulmonary embolism:Comprehensive review of clinical manifestations,indications,recent advances and guideline

Thrombolytic therapy has been the mainstay for patients with pulmonary embolism(PE).Despite being linked to a higher risk of significant bleeding,clinical trials demonstrate that thrombolytic therapy should be used in patients with moderate to high-risk PE,in addition to hemodynamic instability symptoms.This prevents the progression of right heart failure and impending hemodynamic collapse.Diagnosing PE can be challenging due to the variety of presentations;therefore,guidelines and scoring systems have been established to guide physicians to correctly identify and manage the condition.Traditionally,systemic thrombolysis has been utilized to lyse the emboli in PE.However,newer techniques for thrombolysis have been developed,such as endovascular ultrasound-assisted catheter-directed thrombolysis for massive and intermediatehigh submassive risk groups.Additional newer techniques explored are the use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation,direct aspiration,or fragmentation with aspiration.Because of the constantly changing therapeutic options and the scarcity of randomized controlled trials,choosing the best course of treatment for a given patient may be difficult.To help,the Pulmonary Embolism Reaction Team is a multidisciplinary,rapid response team that has been developed and is used at many institutions.Hence to bridge the knowledge gap,our review highlights various indications of thrombolysis in addition to the recent advances and management guidelines.

Anticoagulation therapy for pulmonary embolism involving a myxoma mimicking, giant type C thrombus: A case report

Right heart thrombus(RHTh) with concurrent acute pulmonary embolism(PE) is rare and can seriously destabilize hemodynamics, leading to an emergency situation with high mortality. Diagnosis and treatment of RHTh with acute PE are not yet standardized. There are few reports of acute PE concurrent with RHTh and even less is known about patients with a right heart mural thrombus. For physicians, the diagnostic choice and treatment of these patients are particularly difficult due to the lack of knowledge. Here, we report a rare case of partial mural RHTh(type C RHTh) with acute PE. The mural mass in the right heart was initially diagnosed as atrial myxoma according to transthoracic echocardiography(TTE), and both pulmonary embolus and the mural mass were completely absorbed after administering Rivaroxiban. This case suggests that TTE alone is insufficient to identify and diagnoses a right heart mural mass such as this. However, novel oral anticoagulants may be effective at alleviating PE with type C RHTh.

Massive pulmonary embolism in Klippel-Trenaunay syndrome after leg raising:A case report

BACKGROUND Klippel-Trenaunay syndrome(KTS)is a rare congenital disorder characterized by a combination of capillary malformations,soft-tissue or bone hypertrophy,and varicose veins or venous malformations.The syndrome predisposes patients to hypercoagulable states,including venous thromboembolism and pulmonary embolism(PE).CASE SUMMARY A 12-year-old girl with KTS was scheduled excision of verrucous hyperkeratosis in the left foot and posterior aspect of the left leg and left thigh and excision of a cutaneous hemangioma in the right buttock.After induction,the surgeon elevated the patient’s leg for sterilization,whereupon she experienced a massive PE and refractory cardiac arrest.Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation(ECMO)was performed after prolonged resuscitation,and she had a return of spontaneous circulation.After this episode,the patient was discharged without any neurologic complications.CONCLUSION The mechanism of PE,a lethal disease,involves a preexisting deep vein thrombosis that is mechanically dislodged by compression or changing positions and travels to the pulmonary artery.Therefore,patients predisposed to PE should be prescribed prophylactic anticoagulants.If the patient has unstable vital signs,resuscitation should be started immediately,and extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation should be considered in settings with existing ECMO protocols,expertise,and equipment.Awareness of PE in patients with KTS while leg raising for sterilization is critical.

Cardiac arrest secondary to pulmonary embolism treated with extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation:Six case reports

BACKGROUND Massive pulmonary embolism(PE)results in extremely high mortality rates.Veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation(VA-ECMO)can provide circulatory and oxygenation support and rescue patients with massive PE.However,there are relatively few studies of extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation(ECPR)in patients with cardiac arrest(CA)secondary to PE.The aim of the present study is to investigate the clinical use of ECPR in conjunction with heparin anticoagulation in patients with CA secondary to PE.CASE SUMMARY We report the cases of six patients with CA secondary to PE treated with ECPR in the intensive care unit of our hospital between June 2020 and June 2022.All six patients experienced witnessed CA whilst in hospital.They had acute onset of severe respiratory distress,hypoxia,and shock rapidly followed by CA and were immediately given cardiopulmonary resuscitation and adjunctive VA-ECMO therapy.During hospitalization,pulmonary artery computed tomography angiography was performed to confirm the diagnosis of PE.Through anticoagulation management,mechanical ventilation,fluid management,and antibiotic treatment,five patients were successfully weaned from ECMO(83.33%),four patients survived for 30 d after discharge(66.67%),and two patients had good neurological outcomes(33.33%).CONCLUSION For patients with CA secondary to massive PE,ECPR in conjunction with heparin anticoagulation may improve outcomes.

Assessment of nurses’knowledge of the prevention of hospital-associated venous thromboembolism in a tertiary health institution in Nigeria

Objective:This study assessed the level of nurses’knowledge of the prevention of venous thromboembolism(VTE)in a tertiary health institution.Materials and Methods:This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted with 328 eligible respondents,selected using a random sampling method in a teaching hospital in Nigeria.A self-administered structured questionnaire was used to collect data on the basic knowledge,risk factors,and preventive measures of VTE.Results:Findings from the study revealed that 51.2%scored above the mean score of 28.6±3.1.The educational status of the respondents had a significant influence on their knowledge of risk factors of VTE(F=4.696,P=0.031).Conclusion:The overall knowledge of nurses is satisfactory,although the majority could not answer correctly questions on the administration of prefilled anticoagulants and identification of some key risk factors of VTE.

Pulmonary Thromboembolism in a Soccer Player after COVID-19 Infection: Case Report

Background:Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2),which causes COVID-19,is characterized by an increased risk of thromboembolic events.However,more than 80%of patients are asymptomatic or have only minor/mild symptoms.In addition,diagnosing thromboembolism in athletes is challenging,as symptoms can be confused with musculoskeletal complaints or physical deconditioning.Case presentation:Here we report the case of a previously healthy 34-year-old professional soccer player with COVID-19 infection and genetic predisposition to thrombosis.At baseline,he was fit,had no symptoms,did not require hospital admission due to a COVID-19 infection,and was started on a five-day course of azithromycin and dexamethasone therapy.After 10 days of returning to professional activity,he developed pulmonary embolism following a COVID-19 infection during a physical exercise session.Angiotomography showed positive acute and subacute pulmonary thromboembolism,being treated with rivaroxaban 20 mg/day continuously.The shared decision-making between the medical team and the athlete was not to return to professional soccer,given the quantifiable risk.Considerations:This case illustrates the potential risk of COVID-19-induced pulmonary thromboembolism,which can be affected by genetic predisposition and dexamethasone therapy or the consequences of COVID-19.In this clinical period,the athlete’s condition may be overlooked due to the masking effects of other clinical conditions and physical abnormalities.The residual effects of COVID-19 disease can appear late,requiring caution and follow-up by the medical team before releasing the athlete into a training program.

Role of NT-proBNP and Troponin I in Assessing the Severity of Pulmonary Embolism

Introduction: Pulmonary embolism is a diagnostic and therapeutic emergency that can be life-threatening. Its mortality is largely attributable to severe forms classically defined by clinical and morphological criteria. The aim of this study is to establish the role of two cardiac biomarkers (NT-proBNP and troponin) in assessing the severity of pulmonary embolism. Patients and Methods: We conducted a descriptive and analytical cross-sectional study. Data collection was retrospective over the period from January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2021. All patients hospitalized for pulmonary embolism in two cardiology referral clinics in Cotonou (Atinkanmey Polyclinic and CICA Clinic) were included. Results: The hospital prevalence of pulmonary embolism was 9.08%. The mean age was 52.6 years, with extremes of 18 and 92 years. The sex ratio was 0.73. Pulmonary embolism was severe according to hemodynamic, morphological and sPESI criteria in 12%, 24% and 39% of cases respectively, and mortality was 61.53%. Mean NT-ProBNP and troponin I levels were significantly higher in patients with severe criteria than in those without. NT-proBNP and troponin had good specificity for predicting cardiovascular arrest (99% and 90%), shock (100% and 98%), and hypotension (99% and 96%). NT-proBNP has the best positive predictive values in relation to the occurrence of shock (100%) and right ventricular dilatation (93%). The best correlation coefficient was obtained between right ventricular dilatation and NT-proBNP (0.78). Conclusion: NT-proBNP and troponin I are good biomarkers for predicting the severity of pulmonary embolism and allowing therapeutic adaptation when they are elevated.

Prevalence of pulmonary embolism at autopsy among elderly patients in a Chinese general hospital

Objectives To investigate the prevalence and characteristics of pulmonary embolism （PE） at autopsy in a Chinese general hospital over a period of 10 years, and to evaluate the antemortem achievement of the prophylaxis, diagnosis, and treatment of PE. Methods All medical records of deaths from the West Branch of the Chinese People＇s Liberation Army （PLA） General Hospital were retrospectively re- viewed, for the period of January 1, 2006 to December 31, 2015. Cases in which autopsies had been performed were identified and further analyzed. The numbers and detailed characteristics of patients who had PEs were noted. Prophylactic measures, along with diagnosis and treatment of PE, were recorded, if performed. Results During the 10-year period, 1057 patients died in the study hospital and 278 necrop- sies were performed （autopsy rate： 26.3%）. Nine patients were found to have PE （3.2%）, and in seven of these patients （2.5%）, the PE was considered to be fatal. Embolisms were found in the trunk and bilateral main branches of the pulmonary artery tree in all seven of the fatal PE cases. Right intracardiac thrombosis was detected in five of the nine PE patients （55.6%）. All patients with PE had been hospitalized in medical departments, and only one had undergone surgery during hospitalization. Antemortem prophylaxis was performed in two of the nine PE cases （22.2%）. None of the 9 patients had received a clinical diagnosis of PE before death. Conclusions The incidence of and death rate associated with PE may vary among different races and regions. Continuous monitoring of PE by means of necropsy in certain representative medical institutions is necessary.

Pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis caused by nitrous oxide abuse: A case report

BACKGROUND Nitrous oxide(N2O)has gained increasing popularity as a recreational drug,causing hallucinations,excitation,and psychological dependence.However,side effects have been reported in recent years.Our case report proposes a correlation among N2O,pulmonary embolism(PE),and deep vein thrombosis(DVT)and emphasizes the role of homocysteine(Hcy)in thrombotic events.CASE SUMMARY A 29-year-old man with long-term N2O abuse sought evaluation after acute chest pain.A diagnostic workup revealed PE,DVT,and hyperhomocysteinemia.The patient was successfully treated with thrombolytic and anticoagulant therapy.Moreover,his Hcy level decreased and returned to normal after Hcy-lowering therapy.CONCLUSION Chronic N2O abuse might increase the risk of PE and DVT,although there have been few studies previously.

Facing the challenge of venous thromboembolism prevention in patients undergoing major abdominal surgical procedures for gastrointestinal cancer

Venous thromboembolism(VTE)refers to a hypercoa-gulable state that remains an important and preven-table factor in the surgical treatment of malignancies.VTE includes two identical entities with regards to deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism.The incidence of VTE after major abdominal interventions for gastro-intestinal,hepato-biliary and pancreatic neoplastic disor-ders is as high as 25%without prophylaxis.Prophylactic use of classic or low-molecular-weight heparin,anti-Xa factors,antithrombotic stocking,intermittent pneumatic compression devices and early mobilization have been described.Nevertheless,thromboprophylaxis is often dis-continued after discharge,although a serious risk may persist long after the initial triggering event,as the coagu-lation system remains active for at least 14 d post-opera-tively.The aim of this review is to evaluate the results of the current practice of VTE prevention in cancer patients undergoing major abdominal surgical operations,with special attention to adequately elucidated guidelinesand widely accepted protocols.In addition,the recent literature is presented in order to provide an update on the current concepts concerning the surgical manage-ment of the disease.

Peripheral primitive neuroectodermal tumor of the kidney presenting with pulmonary tumor embolism: A case report

Peripheral primitive neuroectodermal tumor(PNET) of the kidney is a rare, aggressive tumor known for its recurrence and metastatic potential. Despite the frequency of venous extension to the renal veins and inferior vena cava, pulmonary tumor embolism at the initial presentation is not common. We report a case of 22-year-old female with PNET of the kidney who presented with tumor embolism in the inferior vena cava(IVC) and bilateral pulmonary artery. The patient underwent surgical resection and histopathological analysis confirmed the presence of tumor within the IVC and pulmonary arteries. The patient received adjuvant chemotherapy and is currently doing well on follow-up.

A study of pulmonary embolism after abdominal surgery in patients undergoing prophylaxis

AIM： To determine risk factors for pulmonary embolism and estimate effects and benefits of prophylaxis. METHODS： We included 78 patients who died subsequently to a pulmonary embolism after major abdominal surgery from 1985 to 2003. A first, retrospective analysis involved 41 patients who underwent elective surgery between 1985 and 1990 without receiving any prophylaxis. In the prospectively evaluated subgroup, 37 patients undergoing major surgery between 1991 and 2003 were enrolled： all of them had received a prophylaxis consisting in lowmolecular weight heparin, given subcutaneously at a dose of 2850 IU AXa/0.3 mL （body weight 〈 50 kg） or 5700 IU AXa/0.6 mL （body weight ≥ 50 kg）. RESULTS： A higher incidence of thromboembolism （43.9% and 46.34% in the two groups, respectively） was found in older patients （〉 60 years）. The incidence of pulmonary embolism after major abdominal surgery in patients who had received the prophylaxis was significantly lower compared to the subjects with the same condition who had not received any prophylaxis （P 〈 0.001, OR = 2.825; 95% CI, 1.811-4.408）. Furthermore, the incidence of pulmonary embolism after colorectal cancer surgery was significantly higher compared to incidence of pulmonary embolism after other abdominal surgical procedures. Finally, the incidence of pulmonary embolism after colorectal cancer surgery among the patients who had received the prophylaxis （11/4316, 0.26%） was significantly lower compared to subjects undergoing a surgical procedure for the same indication but without prophylaxis （10/1562, 0.64%） （P 〈 0.05, OR = 2.522; 95% Ct, 1.069-5.949）. CONCLUSION： Prophylaxis with low molecular weight heparin is highly recommended during the preoperative period in patients with diagnosis of colorectal cancer due to high risk of pulmonary embolism after elective surgery.

Clinical probability and risk analysis of patients with suspected pulmonary embolism

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary embolism(PE) is one of the most frequent diseases that could be missed in overcrowded emergency departments as in Turkey. Early and accurate diagnosis could decrease the mortality rate and this standard algorithm should be defi ned. This study is to fi nd the accurate, fast, non-invasive, cost-effective, easy-to-access diagnostic tests, clinical scoring systems and the patients who should be tested for clinical diagnosis of PE in emergency department.METHODS: One hundred and forty patients admitted to the emergency department with the fi nal diagnosis of PE regarding to anamnesis, physical examination and risk factors, were included in this prospective, cross-sectional study. The patients with a diagnosis of pulmonary embolism, acute coronary syndrome or infection and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD) were excluded from the study. The demographics, risk factors, radiological fi ndings, vital signs, symptoms, physicallaboratory fi ndings, diagnostic tests and clinical scoring systems of patients(Wells and Geneva) were noted. The diagnostic criteria for pulmonary emboli were: fi lling defect in the pulmonary artery lumen on spiral computed tomographic angiography and perfusion defect on perfusion scintigraphy.RESULTS: Totally, 90(64%) of the patients had PE. Age, hypotension, having deep vein thrombosis were the risk factors, and oxygen saturation, shock index, BNP, troponin and fi brinogen levels as for the biochemical parameters were signifi cantly different between the PE(+) and PE(–) groups(P<0.05).The Wells scoring system was more successful than the other scoring systems.CONCLUSION: Biochemical parameters, clinical findings, and scoring systems, when used altogether, can contribute to the diagnosis of PE.

Endovascular treatment of pulmonary embolism: Selective review of available techniques

Acute pulmonary embolism(PE) is the third most common cause of death in hospitalized patients. The development of sophisticated diagnostic and therapeutic modalities for PE, including endovascular therapy, affords a certain level of complexity to the treatment of patients with this important clinical entity. Furthermore, the lack of level I evidence for the safety and effectiveness of catheter directed therapy brings controversy to a promising treatment approach. In this review paper, we discuss the pathophysiology and clinical presentation of PE, review the medical and surgical treatment of the condition, and describe in detail the tools that are available for the endovascular therapy of PE, including mechanical thrombectomy, suction thrombectomy, and fibrinolytic therapy. We also review the literature available to date on these methods, and describe the function of the Pulmonary Embolism Response Team.

Pulmonary and cerebral lipiodol embolism after transcatheter arterial hemoembolization in hepatocellular carcinoma

Pulmonary and cerebral lipiodol embolism after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) of hepatocellular carcinoma is rare. To our knowledge, only 7 cases have been reported in the literature. We present a case of pulmonary and cerebral lipiodol embolism, and analyzed retrospectively the imaging and clinical data of the patient and conclude the most probable mechanism of pulmonary and cerebral lipiodol embolism, which is different from that of the cases reported previously.