Abstract
INTRODUCTION Pulmonary embolism(PE) may be a life-threatening condition, which needs immediate medical intervention. Early detection plays an important role in improving the survival rate. However, Pulmonary embolism is a difficult diagnosis that may be missed because of non-specific clinical presentation. According to guidelines on the diagnosis and management of acute pulmonary embolism, Pulmonary embolism should be diagnosed by the combination of the clinical presentation, radiological detection and blood test like D-dimer. Generally, anticoagulant therapy is the mainstay of treatment in most cases of pulmonary embolism. The massive or submassive pulmonary embolism causing hemodynamic instability is the indication for thrombolysis or embolectomy.1 Most commonly, pulmonary embolism is caused by venous thromboembolism, however, other diseases can also mimic the clinical presentation of pulmonary thromboembolism, such as metastatic tumors, septic emboli, and foreign bodies occasionally. Choriocarcinoma is a malignant, trophoblastic tumor, which is characterized by early hematogenous spreading to the lungs. Bagshawe and Brooks were first to document pulmonary embolism attributable to choriocarcinoma.2 Because the clinical presentation of pulmonary metastatic choriocarcinoma can mimic pulmonary thromboembolism, it makes the differential diagnosis between the two entities very challenging. In this report, we are introducing a case of pulmonary embolism caused by pulmonary metastatic choricarcinoma in a 24-year-old reproductive woman.
Footnotes
- Corresponding Author: Shijiang Zhang , MD, Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University,300 Guangzhou Rd, Nanjing ,210029, People’s Republic of China. Tel: +86-13901596786, Fax:+86-025-83673066, E-mail: Shijiangzhang{at}hotmail.com
All authors are not associated with any financial support or involvement with organizations with financial interest.
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