Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0034065 (pulmonary embolism)
 14,979 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

In a series of 250 consecutive open-heart operations, three cases of late cardiac tamponade were noted following the operation. This led the authors to review the literature pertaining to this complication. Ninety-nine cases were collected. The frequency of late tamponade associated with cardiac surgery was 0.62% and was fatal in 16.2% of those cases. The delay before the tamponade appeared varied from 3 days to 3 months (mean 14.5 +/- 7.8 days). The initial clinical picture is insidious and vague, and this constitutes the danger of late cardiac tamponade. The clinical signs are of the respiratory (dyspnea, chest pain), gastrointestinal (anorexia, vomiting) and central nervous (mental confusion, even coma) systems. Pallor with a drop in hematocrit in patients on anticoagulant therapy suggests occult bleeding. A definitive diagnosis depends on catheterization of the right side and on mono- and bidimensional echocardiography. The authors believe that computerized axial tomography represents an interesting noninvasive and reliable examination technique when it can be used during emergency treatment. Pericardial puncture, which is both a diagnostic and therapeutic technique, was useful in one third of the cases; it produced a false-negative result in 12%. The resulting differential diagnoses are pulmonary embolism, myocardial insufficiency and septic shock. Late cardiac tamponade may be produced by one of two mechanisms: hemopericardium due to overdosage of anticoagulants or an exacerbated form of the post-pericardiotomy syndrome. Emergency treatment is always necessary. Pericardiocentesis is a useful diagnostic aid and provides temporary stabilization preoperatively. A wide surgical approach is always indicated. The mortality in untreated patients is 100%. The frequency of immediate relapse or, occasionally, of delayed relapse is estimated to be 11%; relapse may be lethal.
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PMID:[Late tamponade after heart surgery: a dreadful diagnostic pitfall]. 634 35

Acute arterial occlusions of the extremities present with the classical five P's: pain, pallor, pulselessness, paresthesia, paresis. Loss of sensitivity and motility are symptoms of the most severe grade of ischemia. The occlusions are due to embolism in about 70% of subjects and to local thrombosis in 30%. These patients have to be treated immediately with heparin. In the mildest forms, deobliteration is desirable, but in the more severe cases rapid restoration of flow not only saves limbs but also life. Deobliteration may be performed surgically or by means of catheters (local thrombolysis or thrombus aspiration) if available. Deep vein thrombosis, the other kind of emergency situation, requires immediate anticoagulation as soon as pulmonary embolism is suspected. It should be initiated by heparin and followed by oral anticoagulation. In patients presenting without pulmonary embolism but a swollen leg, ruptured Baker cysts or muscle hematomas should be ruled out before anticoagulation is started. Systemic thrombolysis or surgical thrombectomy is reserved for young patients with acute isolated thromboses. Thrombectomy must also be kept in reserve for the most severe form of deep venous thromboses, the phlegmasia cerulea dolens. In thrombophlebitis, no anticoagulation is indicated except in bedridden patients. The others must remain mobile and may be treated by systemic and local antiinflammatory drugs, incision of thrombosed varices, and bandages.
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PMID:[Emergencies in angiology]. 849 73