Pulmonary Thromboembolsm in Legal Autopsy / 대한법의학회지

ABSTRACT

Pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) is a significant cause of death in the hospitalized patient in the western and developed countries. The development of PTE and venous thrombi is associated with many and various factors, including that physicians fail to provide adequate prophylaxis to the high risk patients. The authors studied 74 legal autopsy cases performed from 1996 to 2000 at the Headquarters of National Institute of Scientific Investigation, Seoul, Korea. We learned that ceasarian section was the most common precedong trauma in PTE death in legal cases. Excluding Ceasarian section cases, major mechanical injuries, male gender and aging were common factors associated with PTE. Obesity was a common factor in all kinds of trauma. Deep vein thrombi were documented in majority cases and ambulation was a critical triggering cause for the thrombi making PTE. Clinical diagnosis was not so satisfactory.