Management of high-risk pulmonary embolism in pregnancy

Pregnancy-associated high-risk pulmonary embolism (PE) is among the most frequent causes of maternal mortality in the Western world, by causing hemodynamic instability and circulatory failure through a large thrombotic pulmonary obstruction. The very challenging management of these dramatic situations comprises the need to quickly select a therapy of pulmonary reperfusion or hemodynamic replacement, while taking into account both maternal and fetal risks. In this review, we discuss the role of risk stratification in pregnancy-associated PE and the available evidence to support the use of thrombolysis, catheter-directed thrombectomy/thrombolysis, surgical embolectomy and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.
Source: Thrombosis Research - Category: Hematology Authors: Source Type: research