Early Detection of Pulmonary Thromboemboli during Nephrectomy Using Transesophageal Echocardiography

Abstract

Early detection and management of pulmonary embolism would ameliorate survival chances. Here, we report the case of a patient who was scheduled for a renal carcinoma and inferior vena cava thrombectomy wherein suddenly the thrombus migrated to the pulmonary artery. The problem was rapidly recognized by transesophageal echocardiography and before a fatal hemodynamic instability cardiopulmonary bypass was instituted and the thrombosis was extracted. The patient was discharged a week after the surgery without any complication.