Marcos Mello Moreira et al. Renato Giuseppe Giovanni Terzi Ilma Aparecida Paschoal Luiz Cláudio Martins … Evandro Pinto da Luz Oliveira Antonio Luis Eiras Falcão
This is the first report of a patient submitted to chemical thrombolysis due to massive pulmonary embolism (PE) during the postoperative period of neurosurgery, in whom due to the lack of adequate clinical conditions, no imaging assessment was performed. Clinical, gasometric and capnographic data allowed the decision to perform the thrombolysis with safety. The P(a-et)CO2 gradient decreased from 46.4 mmHg to 11.8 mmHg (normal < 5 mmHg) and the end-tidal alveolar dead space fraction decreased from 0.85 to 0.37 (normal < 0.15) from the pre-thrombolysis period to the 7th day post-thrombolysis. We conclude that the volumetric capnography (VC) was useful in the patient's diagnosis and clinical follow-up.