Amniotic fluid embolism (AFE) is a rare but potentially lethal obstetric condition affecting women during labor, delivery, or also in the immediate postpartum period, when amniotic fluid, fetal cells, hair, or other debris could enter the maternal circulation. We present the first case of AFE described in literature in a 33-year-old patient with a complex history of congenital heart disease, where the crucial points for successful course were the prompt recognition and treatment of the disease and the use, for the first time, as diagnostic tool for AFE, of right ventricular free-wall longitudinal speckle-tracking strain.
Keywords: Amniotic fluid embolism; anaphylactoid syndrome of pregnancy; grown-up congenital heart disease; pulmonary hypertension.