Thrombosis Pulmonary Artery in a 17-year Boy

Overview

This report describes the successful use of anticoagulant agent to treat pulmonary thrombosis in a 17 years oldadolescent and reverse severe hemodynamic compromise. Diagnosis of PE and monitoring its treatment weresuccessfully achieved by echocardiography and perfusion scintigraphy. Treatment with an anticoagulant agentswas followed by complete resolution. Pulmonary perfusion scintigraphy performed subsequently revealed noevidence of pulmonary thrombosis. The purposes of this article are to expand on the limited experience the use ofscintigraphy and echocardiography in the diagnosis and follow-up of pulmonary thromboembolism and to presentthe association between infection with Mycoplasma pneumoniae and thrombosis in pulmonary vessels in children.Exaggerated release of inflammatory cytokines is a prominent feature of infection process. Overproduction oftumor necrosis factor, which is known to induce endothelial cells to synthesis of tissue factor and plasminogenactivator inhibitor, may have been responsible for the development of thrombosis. Although relative contributionof these various possibilities are difficult to estimate, multiple factors may have acted together in this patient topromote pulmonary thrombosis.

Key words:
thrombosis of pulmonary artery in children, childhood pulmonary embolism