Pulmonary embolism caused by thrombin-based haemostatic matrix

Description

A 38-year-old woman underwent an outpatient L5/S1 discectomy. The procedure was complicated by intraoperative bleeding, and haemostasis was achieved using a thrombin-based haemostatic matrix (TBHM). She presented to our facility on postoperative day 5 with left-sided chest pain and dyspnoea. CT pulmonary angiography (CTPA) showed a heterogeneous filling defect with mixed attenuation and a 'pseudoair pattern' in the left main pulmonary artery (figure 1). Duplex ultrasound of the upper and lower extremities was negative for venous thrombus. An echocardiogram was normal. Pulmonary angiography showed occlusion of the basal branches of the left pulmonary artery (figure 2). Therapeutic anticoagulation with unfractionated heparin was started, and the patient was discharged home on warfarin. Repeat CT angiography 6 months later revealed no filling defect in the pulmonary arteries.

Figure 1

CT chest with contrast demonstrating the 'pseudoair' filling defect (arrow) in the left main pulmonary...

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