Surgical Embolectomy in a 34?Week Pregnant Woman with High Risk Pulmonary Embolism and Haemodynamic Instability

ABSTRACT

Pulmonary embolism represents the leading cause of maternal mortality in developed countries. The optimal treatment of high?risk pulmonary embolism with cardiovascular instability and at high hemorrhagic risk is still debated but surgical embolectomy represents an effective option. We describe the case of a 35?year?old woman in week 34 of pregnancy who was referred to our hospital because of exertional dyspnea and tachycardia and a few hours later became hypotensive and hypoxic. Pulmonary embolism was detected by performing an angio?computed tomography (CT) scan. After a successful cesarean section, emergent embolectomy was performed without inducing uterine hemorrhage. Both mother and the newborn recovered without postoperative sequelae.