Pulmonary Embolism Diagnosed During Endobronchial Ultrasound in a Patient With Major Trauma

Tetsuro Maeda; Alexander Fe; Sandhya Khurana; Michael Nead

doi:10.7759/cureus.35273

Pulmonary Embolism Diagnosed During Endobronchial Ultrasound in a Patient With Major Trauma

Cureus. 2023 Feb 21;15(2):e35273. doi: 10.7759/cureus.35273. eCollection 2023 Feb.

Authors

Tetsuro Maeda¹, Alexander Fe¹, Sandhya Khurana¹, Michael Nead¹

Affiliation

¹ Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, USA.

Abstract

Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a serious condition that often poses a diagnostic challenge. We report a case of a 57-year-old man with tobacco dependence who presented with multiple trauma, with chest imaging findings concerning for malignancy. While performing bronchoscopy with endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS), an echogenic material was incidentally found in the left pulmonary artery. Computed tomography pulmonary angiography (CTPA) was immediately obtained and confirmed the diagnosis of PE. This case illustrates the utility of routine pulmonary artery examination during EBUS procedures in patients at risk of PE and the importance of prompt management including confirmation with CTPA.

Keywords: computed tomography pulmonary angiography; endobronchial ultrasound; pulmonary artery; pulmonary embolism; trauma.

Publication types

Case Reports