Pulmonary embolism (PE) is the principal preventable cause of in-hospital deaths. Prevalence of PE in Asians is uncertain but undoubtedly underestimated. Asians and Caucasians have similar non-genetic risk factors for PE, and there is mounting evidence that PE affects Asians much more commonly than previously supposed; incidence, especially among high-risk patients, may approach that in Caucasians. Furthermore, PE incidence in Asia is increasing, due to both increased ascertainment, and also population ageing and growing numbers of patients with predisposing risk factors. Despite being warranted, thromboprophylaxis for high-risk patients is not routine in Pacific Asian countries/regions. There also appears to be scope to implement venous thromboembolism (VTE) management guidelines more assiduously. Anticoagulants, primarily heparins and warfarin, have been the mainstays of VTE management for years; however, these agents have limitations that complicate routine use. The complexity of current guidelines has been another barrier to applying evidence-based recommendations in everyday practice. Updated management approaches have considerable potential to improve outcomes. New oral anticoagulants that are easier to administer, require no, or much less, monitoring or dose-adjustment and have a favourable risk/benefit profile compared with conventional modalities, may offer an alternative with the potential to simplify VTE management. However, more information is required on practical management and the occurrence and treatment of bleeding complications. Increasing recognition of the burden of PE and new therapeutic modalities are altering the VTE management landscape in Pacific Asia. Consequently, there is a need to further raise awareness and bridge gaps between the latest evidence and clinical practice.
deep venous thrombosis (dVT) in lower limbs caused by abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is rare. A combination of anatomical obstruction with surrounding inflammatory tissue and reduced blood flow in venous limb were probably the main reasons for the occurrence of the dVT. we report a case of infra-renal AAA presented as lower limb dVT and symptomatic pulmonary embolism.
Massive pulmonary embolism (PE) is not an uncommon condition, and it usually carries a high risk of mortality. It is one of the fatal conditions that commonly affect young patients. A definitive treatment for patients with massive PE is still lacking, and surgical intervention carries a substantial mortality risk. Thus, percutaneous intervention (clot fragmentation and/or aspiration) remains an option in some patients, specifically in those with a risk of bleeding, contraindicating the use of thrombolysis. There have been no randomized trials to validate percutaneous intervention in massive PE. A sufficient level of evidence is still lacking, and its use depends upon the expert committee's opinion and study of previous case reports. We present a 23-year-old man with first onset massive PE secondary to protein C deficiency, who was treated successfully with the combination of systemic thrombolysis and percutaneous interventions.
Patients with low antithrombin III (AT III) has increased risk for arteriovenous thromboembolic (TE) disease. We report a 28-year-old Malay lady who presented with spontaneous right calf pain and swelling of one week duration. She was on oral contraceptive pills and had a history of travelling for a long distance prior to the presentation. Her brother who was diagnosed with AT III deficiency had arterial thrombosis at a young age. She was diagnosed as having right popliteal vein thrombosis by ultrasound and treated with subcutaneous fondaparinux. While on treatment, she developed massive bilateral pulmonary embolism (PE). Thrombophilia study showed reduced AT III activity (38μl/dl) and normal results for protein C, protein S, activated protein C resistance and lupus anticoagulant assays. This patient has heterozygous AT III deficiency added with significant acquired factors responsible for the TE events. Those with AT III deficiency may have resistance to heparin therapy and require higher doses of heparin.
Fat embolism syndrome (FES) is a continuum of fat emboli. Variants of FES: acute fulminant form and classic FES are postulated to represent two different pathomechanisms. Acute fulminant FES occurs during the first 24 h. It is attributed to massive mechanical blockage pulmonary vasculature by the fat emboli. The classic FES typically has a latency period of 24-36 h manifestation of respiratory failure and other signs of fat embolism. Progression of asymptomatic fat embolism with FES frequently represents inadequate treatment of hypovolaemic shock. We present a rare case of two variants of FES evolving in a patient with multiple fractures to emphasis the importance of adequate and appropriate treatment of shock in preventing the development of FES. Since supportive therapy which is a ventilatory support remains as the treatment of FES, it is appropriate to treat FES in the intensive care unit setting.
A 35-year-old multiparous woman was found unresponsive, tachypnoeic, hypoxic and in shock 4 h postpartum. The ECG revealed S1 Q3 T3, a right bundle branch block pattern and right-axis deviation. The computed tomography of her pulmonary arteries revealed bilateral pulmonary artery thrombosis with dilated right ventricle. She was fibrinolyzed with intravenous Tenecteplase 30 mg bolus. Her saturation and tachypnoea improved and her ECG reverted to sinus rhythm subsequently. We discuss our use of off-label Tenecteplase in postpartum pulmonary embolism and review the literature.
Pulmonary embolism is the obstruction of the pulmonary artery or its branches, commonly by thrombus or
fat. We report an unusual case of double pathology - both pulmonary thromboembolism and fat embolism
syndrome in a patient with bilateral femur and bilateral tibia fractures. This highlights the importance of a high
index of suspicion of these conditions while managing patients with multiple long bone fractures. Morbidity
and mortality can be significantly reduced with prompt and appropriate prevention strategies.
We present two infants whose endovascular lines were accidentally cut or fractured, and had to be retrieved via transcatheter means in the cardiac catheterisation laboratory. The first case was a two-month-old infant with transposition of the great arteries, requiring an emergency balloon atrial septostomy. An indwelling vascular catheter that was placed in the right femoral vein was accidentally cut and had migrated into the inferior vena cava, before being retrieved. The second case was a one-week-old neonate who presented with pneumonia at birth, and had a long intravenous catheter placed in the left saphenous vein, which became fractured, and subsequently migrated into the heart. This case presented as a pulmonary embolus with haemodynamic instability, as the catheter had partially obstructed the right ventricular outflow tract. This was later retrieved via transcatheter means.
Thromboembolic (TE) complications [myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, deep vein thrombosis (DVT), and pulmonary embolism (PE)] are common causes of mortality in hospitalised COVID-19 patients. Therefore, this review was undertaken to explore the incidence of TE complications and mortality associated with TE complications in hospitalised COVID-19 patients from different studies. A literature search was performed using ScienceDirect and PubMed databases using the MeSH term search strategy of "COVID-19", "thromboembolic complication", "venous thromboembolism", "arterial thromboembolism", "deep vein thrombosis", "pulmonary embolism", "myocardial infarction", "stroke", and "mortality". There were 33 studies included in this review. Studies have revealed that COVID-19 patients tend to develop venous thromboembolism (PE:1.0-40.0% and DVT:0.4-84%) compared to arterial thromboembolism (stroke:0.5-15.2% and MI:0.8-8.7%). Lastly, the all-cause mortality of COVID-19 patients ranged from 4.8 to 63%, whereas the incidence of mortality associated with TE complications was between 5% and 48%. A wide range of incidences of TE complications and mortality associated with TE complications can be seen among hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Therefore, every patient should be assessed for the risk of thromboembolic complications and provided with an appropriate thromboprophylaxis management plan tailored to their individual needs.
Venous thromboembolism (VTE) has historically been perceived to be a rare disorder in Asia. However, new evidence has emerged recently that contradicts this perception. The question of routine VTE prophylaxis has been hotly debated in Asia due to disagreement on its incidence. We reviewed and analysed studies on postoperative VTE in Asian patients to determine if the condition was indeed rare and if the routine prophylactic measures as recommended by internationally accepted guidelines should be adopted in Asia.
A 17 year old girl with a congenital right coronary artery to coronary sinus fistula presented with recurrent septic pulmonary embolism secondary to tricuspid valve endocarditis. The diagnosis was made on the basis of echocardiography and cardiac angiography.
Child abuse is a worldwide problem. The four major types of abuse include physical abuse, child neglect, psychological maltreatment and sexual violence. We describe a fatal case of child abuse which presented with numerous old and recent soft tissue injuries all over the body. The injuries on the legs have immobilized the victim for quite some time, giving rise to deep vein thrombosis, leading to death as a result of acute pulmonary thromboembolism. This case demonstrates presence of both elements of abuse and neglect in one victim. As this category of crime involves a helpless child, we would also like to reiterate that the community has an obligation to prevent such tragedies and educating the public to recognize the signs and symptoms of abuse would be of utmost important. Ultimately, the community must also be responsible for reporting such offences and the act of silence is akin to condoning a crime witnessed.
Achilles tendon injury is common and surgical procedures related to it are frequently performed and are safe. The incidence of acute pulmonary embolism following these procedures is extremely rare. This case illustrates an incidence of acute pulmonary embolism following Achilles tendon repair in a 35-year-old woman. We discuss the possible causes and the need for thromboprophylaxis.