1994 Volume 55 Issue 5 Pages 1192-1196
We experinced a case of pulmonary embolism following cholecystectomy. A 64-year-old man, who had cholecystectomy, began complaining of chest discomfort and presented with cyanosis on the second postoperative day. Physical examination and blood analysis revealed hypoxemia with PaO2 of 56.4mmHg, and pulmonary embolism was suspected. The diagnosis was eventually comfirmed by means of pulmonary sintigram, which demonstrated perfusion defect. Thrombolytic therapy with 960, 000 unit/day of urokinase and 10, 000 unit/day of heparin, was immediately initiated which improved in three days blood gas analysis as well as clinical symptoms were improved.
Pulmonary embolism following surgical intervention occurs in a high rate of frequency and the motality is extremely high in the Western countries. The incidence in the relatively low, but a further increase in the incidence can be expected with a progression of our Westernized eating habit. For this disease early detection and early treatment are daterminative factors for prognosis. It appears important that we should entertain the presence of the disease as a probable complication the postoperative management.
