Massive pulmonary embolism after delivery by cesarean section

OBJECTIVE: To give an overview of the preventive and therapeutic measures in thromboembolic disease in association with pregnancy and delivery. SUBJECT: Case report. SETTING: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and General Faculty Hospital, Prague. SUBJECT AND METHOD: The surgical treatment of massive pulmonary embolism in a patient after delivery by caesarean section. CONCLUSION: Surgical embolectomy still has its place in the treatment of pulmonary embolism in the early phase of critical cases, when thrombolysis is contraindicated, and mechanical disintegration with the catheter is unsuccessful. In such cases it is the only one possibility of saving the patient. However, prevention of thromboembolic disease remains of primary importance.