Massive pulmonary emboli in children: does fiber-optic-guided embolectomy have a role? Review of the literature and report of two cases

Chest. 2013 Feb 1;143(2):544-549. doi: 10.1378/chest.11-2759.

Abstract

Massive pulmonary emboli is a rare disease in children, with only 39 reported cases in the last 50 years. Almost 50% of the patients died suddenly without receiving medical treatment. Most of the patients who were managed medically (70% of the treated patients) underwent surgical pulmonary embolectomy with 80% survival. Surgical pulmonary embolectomy is a blind procedure that can be improved by using intraoperative angioscopy. This technique was reported in adults with good results. In this article, we describe two pediatric patients who underwent fiber-optic-guided surgical pulmonary embolectomy. To our knowledge, this technique has never been reported in the pediatric population.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Age Factors
  • Angiography
  • Angioscopy / methods*
  • Child, Preschool
  • Embolectomy / methods*
  • Fiber Optic Technology / methods*
  • Humans
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Male
  • Pulmonary Embolism / diagnostic imaging
  • Pulmonary Embolism / surgery*
  • Treatment Outcome