Outcome of thrombolysis for massive pulmonary embolism

Deep vein thrombosis is increasingly being diagnosed in Ghana. The commonest complication that leads to death is pulmonary embolism. The mortality rate from massive pulmonary embolism is high even with intervention. Thrombolysis is recommended in massive embolism. To determine the outcome of thrombolysis in the management of massive pulmonary embolism in patients admitted to the Cardiothoracic Intensive Care unit. A retrospective audit of the patients who were admitted to the Intensive care unit of the National Cardiothoracic centre with a diagnosis of massive pulmonary embolism between 1st January 2003 and 31st September 2007. Seventeen patients were admitted with the diagnosis of massive pulmonary embolism of which 14 were thrombolysed. Commonest clinical presentations were dyspnoea in 17(100.0%) and hypotension in 12(70.3%) of the patients. Streptokinase was used in 13(92.9%) and urokinase in 1(7.1%) of the patients. The main complications of thrombolysis were bleeding in 12(85.7%), hypotension in 10(71.4%) and nausea and vomiting in 7(50.0%) of the patients. Postthrombolysis, the respiratory function deteriorated in 12 (85.7%) of the patients which required mechanical ventilation. The overall mortality rate was 35.3%. Three patients died before thrombolysis. Of the 14 (82.4%) who were thrombolysed 3(21.4%) died within 8 hours. The mortality rate of patients with massive pulmonary embolism is high even after thrombolysis. The commonest complication of thrombolysis was bleeding.