Death due to Pulmonary thromboembolism.

Korean J Leg Med. 2001 May;25(1):50-57. Korean.

Department of Forensic Medicine, National Institute of Scientific Investigation(NISI).

Department of Forensic Medicine, Cheju National University College of Medicine.

Despite advances in our understanding of venous thromboembolic disease, the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary thromboembolism remain a clinical challenged. In western country, pulmonary thromboembolism is common : its antemortem diagnosis is not. Its frequency in routine hospital autopsies is 5%~10%. Especially, pregnancy and orthopedic surgery are widely recognized to be physiologic states with markedly elevated risk for thromboembolic complication. Deep venous thrombosis is very frequent after surgery, and its major comlpication, pulmonary thromboembolism, is the most frequent cause of postoperative death. The reduction of this cause of mortality is mainly based on its prevention rather than its therapy. All of these 40 cases were autopsied between 1997~1999 in National Institute of Scientific Investigation(NISI) and the causes of death were verified pulmonary thromboembolism. The aims of study were to investigate post-mortem verified causes of death, pulmonary thromboembolism, to cirrelate these with clinical practice, to identify the potential for prevention according to the literature and to contribute to decrease the mortality rate due to pulmonary thromboembolism.

Key words: pulmonary thromboembolism, deep vein thrombosis, surgery, mortality, autopsy, prevention