Author(s)

Hui-Feng Zeng, Si-Hua He, Yu-Xia Wang*

Affiliation(s)

¹ Department of Reproductive Medicine, The First Affiliated hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China;

² Dermatology Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China;

³Department of Reproductive Medicine, The First Affiliated hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.

Corresponding Author

Yu-Xia Wang, email: sunneywang@126.com

ABSTRACT

To retrospectively analyze the incidence and the characteristics of pulmonary embolism (PE) in patients following gynecologic surgery, and identify the risk factors of PE. A total of 6417 gynecologic surgery cases that were performed from January 2018 to December 2020 at the Department of Gynecology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University. PE was diagnosed using computed tomographic pulmonary angiography. Clinical data of these patients were analyzed retrospectively. PE was diagnosed in 21 patients (0.33%). The incidence of PE in the malignant tumors was significantly higher than that of benign diseases, which showed a statistically significant difference (P<0.05).12 (57.14%) of the 21 PE patients had clinical symptoms or signs, in which 9 (42.86%) cases had respiratory symptoms or signs. 9 (42.86%) patients had no symptoms or signs expect for a SpO2 level decrease. 12 (57.14%) patients were found to have both PE and deep venous thrombosis (DVT). The interval between the surgeries and the diagnosis of PE was 1-29 days, 10 (47.62%) of the 21 PE patients were diagnosed the day after surgery, and 18 (85.71%) cases were diagnosed within 72 hours after surgery. 17 cases (80.95%) were diagnosed as PE on the day or the next day that symptoms or signs of hypoxia were observed. CTPA was performed in 21 patients, and most emboli mainly located in lobar or segmental arteries. All the 21 patients with PE were classified as no-high-risk PE and no patients died of PE in this study. A substantial number of postoperative PE were lack of typical characteristics. Routine SpO2 level monitoring can be used for early detection of PE, particularly in asymptomatic patients. Extended prophylaxis, early diagnosis and early treatment should be carried out to cope with high-risk patients especially malignant patients after gynecological surgery.

KEYWORDS

Pulmonary; pulmonary embolism; gynecologic.

CITE THIS PAPER

Zeng Hui-Feng, He Si-Hua, Wang Yu-Xia. Pulmonary embolism after gynecologic surgery-A retrospective study in China. Journal of Pharmaceutical and Medical Research. 2021, 3(1): 1-8.

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