Multiple pulmonary and systemic ectopic emboli following endoscopic injection sclerotherapy for gastric fundal varices

We report a case of a 40-year-old female with cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, and upper gastrointestinal bleeding who developed multiple pulmonary emboli after endoscopic injection sclerotherapy for gastric variceal bleeding. The patient did not have any respiratory symptoms after the sclerotherapy. A chest radiograph obtained one day after the procedure for the evaluation of fever showed few small nodular radio-opacities in both hilar regions. Computed tomography (CT) demonstrates the existence of multiple radio-opaque emboli within the pulmonary and left common iliac arteries with no evidence of associated pulmonary parenchymal changes. She had no further symptoms, and the radiologic opacities persisted on CT obtained 4 months later.