Acute pulmonary embolism in a neonate: precipitation during cardiac catheterization and successful treatment

Pediatr Cardiol. 1998 Sep-Oct;19(5):431-5. doi: 10.1007/s002469900345.

Abstract

This report illustrates the rare occurrence of a pulmonary embolus in a neonate during cardiac catheterization. The patient was a term newborn who underwent repair of obstructed infradiaphragmatic total anomalous pulmonary venous connection. Postoperative risk factors for pulmonary embolism included severe pulmonary hypertension unresponsive to nitric oxide therapy, an indwelling venous catheter, and young age. Successful management was achieved by initial mechanical fragmentation with streptokinase infusion and monitoring by serial lung perfusion scans.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Acute Disease
  • Anastomosis, Surgical
  • Cardiac Catheterization
  • Fatal Outcome
  • Fibrinolytic Agents / therapeutic use
  • Humans
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Lung / diagnostic imaging
  • Male
  • Postoperative Complications
  • Pulmonary Embolism / diagnostic imaging
  • Pulmonary Embolism / drug therapy
  • Pulmonary Embolism / etiology*
  • Pulmonary Veins / abnormalities
  • Pulmonary Veins / surgery
  • Radionuclide Imaging
  • Streptokinase / therapeutic use
  • Thrombolytic Therapy

Substances

  • Fibrinolytic Agents
  • Streptokinase