The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Vol 76, 252-256, Copyright © 1978 by The American Association for Thoracic Surgery and The Western Thoracic Surgical Association
Massive pulmonary embolism with circulatory failure: survival following sixty hours' support with a membrane lung
F Jardin, F Gurdjian, F Blanchet and A Margairaz
A 62-year-old man had circulatory failure from massive pulmonary embolism
following a road accident. Despite intensive therapy including urokinase
infusion, inotropic drugs, and mechanical ventilation, the patient's
circulatory status deteriorated. When it became impossible to maintain the
mean systemic arterial pressure above 50 mm. Hg and the cardiac index above
1 L. per minute per square meter, circulatory support by partial
cardiopulmonary bypass with a membrane lung was begun. Acute circulatory
failure and acute pulmonary hypertension were promptly reduced by this
procedure, and patient's status necessitated only intravenous heparin
infusion and mechanical ventilation. After 60 hours of bypass the patient
was weaned from the membrane lung, and 1 month later he was discharged from
the hospital.