Aggressive Surgical Treatment of Acute Pulmonary Embolism With Circulatory Collapse

Background. Acute high-risk pulmonary embolism is a life-threatening condition with high early mortality rates resulting from acute right ventricular failure and cardiogenic shock. We retrospectively analyzed the outcomes of surgical embolectomy among patients with circulatory collapse. Methods. Between July 2000 and September 2011, 24 consecutive patients (17 women and 7 men; mean age, 59.9 +/- 17.2 years) underwent emergency surgical embolectomy to treat acute pulmonary embolism with circulatory collapse. Nineteen (79.2%) patients were in cardiogenic shock, and 16 (66.7%) patients received preoperative percutaneous cardiopulmonary support. Eleven (45.8%) patients were in cardiac arrest. The preoperative pulmonary artery obstruction index was 76.9% +/- 16.4% (median, 88.9%; range, 44.4%-88.9%). The indications for surgical intervention were cardiogenic shock (n = 16 [66.7%]), failed medical therapy or catheter embolectomy (n = 4 [16.7%]), or contraindication for thrombolysis (n = 4 [16.7%]). Follow-up was 100% complete with a mean of 6.8 +/- 3.9 years (median, 5.6 years). Results. The in-hospital mortality rate was 12.5% (n = 3). One patient underwent a repeated embolectomy on postoperative day 6. The postoperative course was complicated by cerebral infarction and by mediastinitis in 1 patient each. The 5-year cumulative survival rate was 87.5% +/- 6.8%. Mean right ventricular pressure significantly decreased from 66.9 to 28.5 mm Hg among the survivors. Conclusions. Surgical pulmonary embolectomy is an excellent approach to treating acute pulmonary embolism with circulatory collapse. Providing immediate percutaneous cardiopulmonary support to patients with cardiogenic shock could help to resuscitate and stabilize cardiopulmonary function and allow for a good outcome of pulmonary embolectomy. (Ann Thorac Surg 2012;94:785-91) (C) 2012 by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons