Cavitary Pulmonary Infarction in a Case of Pulmonary Embolism After Successful Vascular Recanalization&#x0D;

Shivaraj, Kiran; Zahid, Erum

doi:10.7759/cureus.5983

Cited by 1 publication

(1 citation statement)

References 8 publications

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“…5 Previous studies have suggested prompt surgery owing to a 73% mortality rate in medical treatment of infected pulmonary cavitation, which is theorized to be due to an insufficient blood supply and a risk of persistent infection. 4 Successful experiences of some separate cases of infected cavitating pulmonary infarction have been reported, 3,4,10 but no recent series have mentioned the prognosis of infected pulmonary cavitation followed by acute PE. Studies published in the past decades have consistently shown a progressive reduction in the fatality rate in patients with acute PE.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Non-surgical management of an abrupt cavitation and large oval-shaped lung abscess secondary to acute thromboembolic pulmonary infarction: a case report

Wang

Yan

et al. 2021

J Int Med Res

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Infected cavitating pulmonary infarction is a rare complication of pulmonary embolism with a high mortality rate. Surgical excision for this complication has been used in past decades. Abrupt cavitation and a large oval-shaped lung abscess caused by acute thromboembolic pulmonary infarction during anticoagulation are rare. We present a 70-year-old man who suffered from pleuritic pain and breathlessness, accompanied by nausea and vomiting for 1 day. A physical examination showed tachycardia and tachypnea with moist rales in the left upper chest. High D-dimer levels, leukocytosis, respiratory failure and left upper lobe consolidation were found on plain computed tomography (CT). CT pulmonary angiography was performed 2 days after the previous CT scan because pulmonary embolism was suspected. This scan showed emboli in the main, right upper, middle, lower and left upper pulmonary arteries with deteriorated left upper lobe consolidation and cavitation. Thromboembolic pulmonary infarction and an abscess were diagnosed. Enoxaparin 60 mg was administered every 12 hours for 10 days, followed by rivaroxaban, antibiotics and drainage of the hydrothorax. The patient improved after the strategy of non-surgical treatment and was discharged approximately 1 month later. The patient had an uneventful course during rivaroxaban 20 mg once daily for 1 year.

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