Surgical embolectomy after reanimation in central pulmonary embolism

Central pulmonary embolism represents one of the most threatening complicat ions in surgical patients. In most cases deep vein thrombosis of the lower extremities is the source of emboli. Despite the introduction of hypocoagul ative drugs in standard surgical concepts the incidence of deep vein thromb osis remains about 10% in trauma patients. Estimated numbers of unknown cas es of pulmonary embolism are supposed to be rather high too. In haemodynami cally symptomatic pulmonary embolism events and especially when the patient has to be reanimated, mortality rates of up to 93% are reported in literat ure. After introduction of the heart- and lung-machine in the surgical conc ept of therapy, survival rates have increased significantly. We report on t hree cases of successful surgical embolectomy after CPR. In a review of lit erature current concepts of treatment in central pulmonary embolism are dis cussed.