Intra-arrest thrombolysis in acute pulmonary thromboembolism: Case report and review of the literature

Pulmonary thromboembolism is a frequent cause of cardiorespiratory arrest, this being an entity with specific treatment, which should be established even in cases with high clinical suspicion without confirmed diagnosis. Thrombolysis has shown good results in different outcomes. A 72-year-old diabetic, hypertensive, hyperthyroid patient is presented, hospitalized for an infected lower limb ulcer, who presented respiratory distress with subsequent ventilatory failure, shock and cardiorespiratory arrest, who was diagnosed with pulmonary thromboembolism due to ultrasound signs and was intra-arrest thrombolysis was performed, thereby achieving return to spontaneous circulation and gradual resolution of the shock. A review of the literature on intra-arrest thrombolysis is carried out, concluding that in pulmonary thromboembolism managing clinical risk is of vital importance, since those at high risk have higher mortality rates and the establishment of reperfusion measures are essential. In cardiorespiratory arrest with high suspicion of pulmonary thromboembolism, ultrasound is valuable to support the diagnosis and intrapartum thrombolysis has a higher rate of return to spontaneous circulation and even survival.