Therapy of pulmonary embolism

The therapeutic regimen in acute pulmonary embolism of different severity is discussed. Heparin is indicated in patients with only small and submassive embolism without impairment of the circulation. Fibrinolysis is the therapy of choice in submassive pulmonary embolism with circulatory insufficiency and massive embolism. In fulminant embolism with circulatory shock or cardiac arrest embolectomy should be performed. If the course of lung embolism is subacute, fibrinolysis may improve the late prognosis in respect to chronic pulmonary hypertension.     

Treatment of pulmonary embolism with streptokinase. A preliminary report

Nine patients with arteriographically proved pulmonary embolism have been treated by a 36-hour infusion of streptokinase. Satisfactory haemodynamic and arteriographic resolution was obtained in four patients with acute massive pulmonary embolism and in two with recent minor embolism. Little or no haemodynamic or arteriographic improvement was obtained in three patients with pulmonary thromboembolic disease of longer duration.     

Local streptokinase administration in massive pulmonary embolism

Five patients with acute massive pulmonary embolism were treated with streptokinase administered via the pulmonary artery as close as possible to the embolus. Streptokinase (Awelysin) was infused at a loading dose of 250,000 IU followed by a maintenance dose of 100,000 IU/hour under haemodynamic and angiographic control. In four of five patients (two patients with cardiogenic shock) the clinical signs, pulmonary artery pressure and the angiographic findings improved or they normalised within 5-12 hours. In one patient with recurrent embolisation over three weeks the clinical condition improved gradually, although the angiographic findings improved only slightly. The results demonstrate that local thrombolysis of acute massive pulmonary embolism is a highly effective form of treatment.     

The functional-morphological state of the myocardium in experimental massive embolism of the pulmonary artery]

A comparative study of hemodynamic and structural-metabolic changes in the myocardium of the right (RV) and left ventricles (LV) in acute massive pulmonary artery embolism was made in 19 mongrel dogs. In the control group the activity of SDH, MDH, GDH, NADH-DH in LV were higher than in RV. The numeral density and relative area of mitochondrial profile surface in LV was higher that in RV. A significant increase in afterload on RV causes intensification of cell respiration, a rise in numeral density and relative area of mitochondrial profile surface. Weakening of LV work leads to contrary structural-metabolic changes. Thus, contrary changes in hemodynamic loads on RV and LV in acute compensative massive pulmonary artery embolism correlated with contrary changes in their cell metabolism.     

Pericarditis as a manifestation of essential thrombocythemia.

A 58-year-old woman presented with pericarditis and pericardial effusion. Investigation revealed that she was suffering from a thrombocythemic myeloproliferative disorder; she died of massive pulmonary embolism 10 days after admission. Histologic study verified epicardial and pericardial trilineage hematopoiesis. Pericarditis is an unusual feature of essential thrombocythemia and it may occur in direct relation to the abnormal cellular proliferation.     

Lesions of ventricular cardiomyocytes in experimental massive pulmonary embolism]

The damage of ventricular myocardial cells during acute experimental massive pulmonary embolism (MPE) was studied by light, polarization and electron microscopy on anaesthetized dogs. In cases, when MPE was followed by heart failure, the deep ir reversible damage of myofibrils took place, and the relative volume of myofibrils decreased in both ventricles. The damage of right ventricular myocardium, which works against increased postload during MPE, may be reason of right ventricular insufficiency.     

The three syndromes of fat embolism: pulmonary manifestations.

The clinical course and radiographs of 30 patients with fat embolism syndrome were reviewed. In all cases the classic triad of neurologic dysfunction, respiratory insufficiency, and petechiae were present. Three responses to embolized fat were noted. The hyperacute response was seen in two patients with paradoxical embolization of fat to the systemic circulation. A "classic response" was noted in 18 patients with transient respiratory compromise and variable radiographic findings. The two deaths in the group responding in the classical manner were attributed to massive pulmonary emboli. The third response, noted in ten patients, consisted of a chest radiograph compatible with pulmonary edema in the clinical setting of the adult respiratory distress syndrome. In this group the degree of respiratory dysfunction and pulmonary damage correlated with the development of disseminated intravascular coagulation. Pathologic correlations are presented and the mechanisms by which embolic fat produces tissue damage are discussed.     

Management of massive pulmonary embolism after jejuno-ileal bypass for morbid obesity

Four patients developed massive pulmonary embolism after jejuno-ileal bypass for morbid obesity. All patients were in Greenfield's Class IV and were in shock. Severe hypoxia was evidenced in their blood gases. The patients were managed with digitalis, diuretics, Solu-Medrol (methylprednisolone sodium succinate), oxygen, and heparin therapy. Each patient underwent partial vena cava interruption with Mobin Uddin's umbrella, and all four survived without residual complications.     

Diagnosis and treatment of venous thromboembolism by consultants in Scotland.

A questionnaire was sent to 508 consultants in Scotland likely to encounter deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism to assess their current standard practice in diagnosis and treatment of these disorders. Replies were received from 358 (70.5%). In deep vein thrombosis 47% and in pulmonary embolism 33% of consultants usually depended on clinical observation alone for diagnosis. In deep vein thrombosis 37% used venography to supplement clinical diagnosis and in pulmonary embolism 13% used angiography and 53% used isotopic scanning. Almost all consultants treated deep vein thrombosis (95%) and pulmonary embolism (99%) with anticoagulants. Most consultants (81%) gave heparin by intravenous infusion. Although many consultants gave intravenous heparin for more than three days (49.5% in deep vein thrombosis and 61% in pulmonary embolism), 25% of these consultants did not use any laboratory monitoring of heparin''s effect. Large numbers of consultants gave warfarin for more than three months (20% in deep vein thrombosis and 47% in pulmonary embolism). There was a significant tendency to give heparin (p less than 0.01) and warfarin (p less than 0.001) for longer periods in pulmonary embolism than in deep vein thrombosis. This survey shows a widely varying practice and underlines the need for further controlled studies to provide clear guidance in the management of deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism.     

肺血栓栓塞症患者栓塞面积和临床特征的相关性分析

目的:分析肺血栓栓塞症患者栓塞面积和临床特征的相关性。方法:将哈尔滨医科大学附属第二医院呼吸内科2007年1月-2011年12月收治的78例肺血栓栓塞症患者作为研究对象,并根据其栓塞面积分为大面积组(38例)和小面积组(40例),观察和比较两组患者的临床症状、临床体征、危险因素分布、血气分析结果、D-二聚体水平。结果:大面积组呼吸困难、心悸、晕厥的发生率均显著高于小面积组,呼吸急促、发绀的发生率均明显高于小面积组患者,Pa O2和Pa CO2均显著低于小面积组,差异均具有统计学意义(P0.05)。半定量乳胶聚集法测定的D-二聚体值在两组之间未见明显统计学差异,免疫比浊法测定的D-二聚体值在大面积组明显高于小面积组,且具有统计学差(P0.05)。结论:(1)呼吸困难、晕厥、心悸、呼吸急促、血压下降、发绀可提示大面积肺血栓栓塞症的发生;(2)Pa O2和Pa CO2明显减低提示大面积肺栓塞可能性较大;(3)D-二聚体是否能提示肺栓塞面积大小可能与其测量方法有关,需进一步研究,但对排除肺栓塞有重要意义。     

43例术后疑似急性肺栓塞分析

目的:探讨影响术后急性肺栓塞(Acute Pulmonary Embolism,APE)的发生和预后的相关因素,以提高对术后肺栓塞的认识和诊疗水平。方法:收集2009.01-2014.12期间南方医院术后疑似急性肺栓塞患者的临床资料,总结其临床特征,分析其诱发因素、临床表现、治疗和预后,探讨其发病的高危因素。结果:共收集术后疑似肺栓塞43例,平均年龄56.09±14.08岁(17~80岁),明确诊断为肺栓塞15例(34.9%),共死亡20例(死亡率46.5%)。其临床表现和体征均具有非特异性,呼吸困难、心悸和晕厥是主要的临床表现。不仅可以发生于下肢、胸腹部(包括妇产科)、颅内等大手术后,也可能发生在介入栓塞术后。相关危险因素很多,包括性别、年龄、恶性肿瘤、全身麻醉、手术时间长等。具有高危因素的患者并具有可疑肺栓塞的临床表现时,结合D-二聚体、动脉血气分析、心电图、胸部X线、超声心动图、下肢彩超可检查协助APE的诊断,而胸部增强CT作为检查手段有利于明确诊断。结论:肺栓塞是手术后致命的并发症之一,早期诊断、早期治疗,能降低术后肺栓塞患者的死亡率。     

Comparison of the Effects of Streptokinase and Heparin on the Early Rate of Resolution of Major Pulmonary Embolism

The extent of early resolution of major pulmonary embolism observed in 10 patients after 24 hours of treatment with heparin was compared with that seen in 17 patients after 24 hours of treatment with streptokinase. The patients in the streptokinase group also received a loading dose of heparin and were treated with heparin by continuous infusion when their thrombin time returned to normal levels. All had pulmonary hypertension. Pulmonary embolism was classified as acute in the 10 patients in the heparin group. Seven of these patients showed no angiographic change, two showed slight improvement and one showed angiographic deterioration. There was a moderate and statistically insignificant fall in mean pulmonary arterial pressure and total pulmonary resistance. Fourteen of the 17 patients who were studied before and after streptokinase were classified as acute and three as subacute progressive major pulmonary embolism. Eight showed marked angiographic improvement, four moderate and two slight angiographic improvement. There was a moderate and statistically significant fall in the mean pulmonary arterial pressure and pulmonary vascular resistance. In addition, all seven patients in whom no angiographic improvement occurred during heparin therapy showed moderate or marked angiographic improvement after a further 24 hours of treatment with streptokinase. The results strongly suggest that streptokinase therapy accelerates thrombolysis in patients with acute major pulmonary embolism.     

肾病综合征合并肺栓塞的临床研究进展

肾病综合征是一种临床常见疾病,其患者体内常呈高凝状态,极易发生血栓栓塞事件,而其中以肾静脉血栓、肺动脉栓塞和 下肢深静脉血栓最为常见。由于肺动脉栓塞早期缺乏特征性的临床表现,病情隐匿,所以极易误诊或漏诊,发现时患者病情往往 已十分严重,致死率极高。目前,对于肾病综合征合并肺栓塞的发生率国内外报道不一,尚无准确的流行病学资料,而对于其发病 原因、危险因素、早期诊断及是否需要预防性抗凝治疗等均存在争议,本文主要结合文献对肾病综合征合并肺栓塞的流行病学、 病因及发病机制、诊断、高危因素和治疗进行了综述,尤其是对目前争议较大的肾病综合征合并肺栓塞患者是否需要早期抗凝治 疗。     

Geneva量表在肺栓塞诊断中的意义

随着认识水平的提高,已发现肺栓塞是临床很常见的疾病。对于如何更好地进行肺栓塞危险性的评估和组织相对复杂的检查,Geneva量表将是临床非常实用的工具。Geneva量表更精确和稳定,较少受临床经验的影响。对于合并慢性阻塞性肺病的患者诊断也有意义。同时,对于预测肺栓塞后3月内不良事件也有价值,临床试验证实对CT检查阴性患者Geneva量表评分为低中度危险不进行抗凝治疗也是安全的。本文将对目前国际上对Geneva量表的应用进展做一综述。     

128层螺旋CT肺动脉造影对急性肺栓塞患者栓塞程度和右心功能的评估价值研究

目的:探讨128层螺旋CT肺动脉造影(CTPA)对急性肺栓塞(APE)患者栓塞程度和右心功能的评估价值。方法:选取2016年7月到2018年6月期间在我院行CTPA检查确诊并接受治疗的APE患者100例记为观察组,根据观察组患者的病情将其分为高危组(57例)和非高危组(43例),同时根据观察组患者肺栓塞部位及预后将患者分为中心肺栓塞死亡组(8例)、中心肺栓塞存活组(38例)、周围肺栓塞组(54例)。另选择同期于我院进行CTPA检查的无肺栓塞患者50例记为对照组。记录所有患者的右心功能参数[右心室短轴最大径(RVMSA)、左心室短轴最大径(LVMSA)以及二者的比值(RV:LV)],计算APE患者的CT肺动脉阻塞指数,并分析APE患者CT肺动脉阻塞指数与右心功能指标的相关性。结果:观察组的RVMSA、RV:LV均明显高于对照组(P0.05),高危组的CT肺动脉阻塞指数、RVMSA、RV:LV均明显高于非高危组(P0.05)。中心肺栓塞死亡组的CT肺动脉阻塞指数、RVMSA、RV:LV均明显高于中心肺栓塞存活组和周围肺栓塞组,中心肺栓塞存活组的CT肺动脉阻塞指数、RVMSA、RV:LV均明显高于周围肺栓塞组(P0.05)。经Pearson相关分析显示,APE患者CT肺动脉阻塞指数与RVMSA、RV:LV均呈正相关(P0.05),与LVMSA无明显的相关性(P0.05)。结论:CTPA检查可有效评估APE患者的栓塞程度和右心功能,且栓塞程度与右心功能存在相关性,CTPA检查有助于APE患者的诊断和病情评估。     

Trends in pulmonary embolism death rates for Canada and the United States, 1962-87.

To investigate the effect of advances in the prevention and treatment of pulmonary embolism, we examined the rates of death from pulmonary embolism in Canada for 1965-87 and compared them with those for the United States for 1962-84. The direct method of age standardization was used on sex-specific and age-specific death rates, with the 1960 US population as the standard. In both countries the death rates increased then decreased, although the changes in the Canadian rates occurred later and were less pronounced than those in the US rates. Men and elderly people were at higher risk of death from pulmonary embolism than women and younger people. Prevention strategies, possibly including encouraging a more active lifestyle and targetting high-risk groups, may further reduce pulmonary embolism death rates in both countries.     

Acute occlusion of an abdominal aortic aneurysm complicated by bilateral lower extremity venous thrombosis: A case report

Acute occlusion of an abdominal aortic aneurysm is a rare phenomenon. Its possible complications include distal spasm followed by arterial thrombosis, ischemia of the distal limbs, distal embolization, acidosis, hyperkalemia, and the development of venous thrombosis of the lower limbs. Surgical correction is often complicated by cardiac decompensation, renal failure, fatal pulmonary embolism, and metabolic derangements related to toxins released from the revascularized limb. Unless contraindicated, immediate systemic heparinization must be undertaken when the diagnosis is first suspected. We present a case of sudden occlusion of an abdominal aortic aneurysm complicated by venous thrombosis involving both lower extremities. After undergoing surgical revascularization, the patient sustained massive fatal pulmonary emboli. Prophylactic interruption of the inferior vena cava may be indicated in patients who present with this complication of abdominal aortic aneurysm.     

Clinico-experimental study of histoenzymological changes in the ventricular myocardium in pulmonary embolism]

The SDH and LDH activity in ventricular myocardium was studied in early autopsies of 16 patients, which died from acute pulmonary thromboembolism, and also in 17 dogs with experimental pulmonary embolism. In general the data of histoenzymological study of experimental and sectional material were identical. We revealed some factors, which correlated with low activity of catabolic enzymes in ventricular myocardium of the patients with pulmonary embolism: small volume of embolic occlusion (the thromboembolism of lobar and segmental pulmonary arteries); the presence of prior chronic cardiopulmonary disease; the advanced age and the female sex. Preexisting cardiopulmonary disease, as well as age and sex changes of myocardial metabolism, may assist the development of heart failure by relatively small volume of embolic obstruction.     

肺动脉栓塞的64层螺旋CT血管成像技术分析

目的从技术上探讨64层螺旋CT肺动脉造影对肺栓塞的诊断的价值。方法对62例临床疑诊肺栓塞的患者行64排螺旋CT肺动脉造影检查,采用最大密度投影(MIP)、多平面重建(MPR)、曲面重建(CPR)、容积漫游(VR)及仿真内窥镜等后处理技术,分析所获得的相关CT资料。结果64排多层螺旋CT肺动脉造影可较准确、清晰、全面地显示24例累及肺动脉及其分支共152处栓子的位置、形态、范围和程度。结论64排多层螺旋CT肺动脉造影是肺栓塞及时准确无创的诊断方法,是临床诊断肺栓塞的首选筛查办法,对肺动脉栓塞的诊断具有明显的技术优势。