Publication:

A pulmonary embolism secondary to fracture tibia: a clinical case report

Pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) occurs when a thrombus, typically originating from venous thromboembolism, obstructs the pulmonary arteries, disrupting blood flow to the lungs. The thrombus often becomes lodged at the bifurcation of the main pulmonary artery or within the lobar branches, causing hemodynamic instability. Although the thrombus most commonly originates in the lower extremities as deep vein thrombosis (DVT), it can occasionally arise from the pelvic veins, renal veins, upper extremity veins, or the right side of the heart. Various factors can contribute to the development of deep vein thrombosis, but in the context of long bone fractures, it Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) typically develops 7 to 10 days after an injury. However, in rare cases, pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) has been observed within 72 hours of the trauma. Several theories have been proposed to explain the mechanisms behind the early onset of PTE in such instances. Presenting a case which involves a 34-year-old male who developed pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) following a roadside accident, and had segmental closed fracture of the right tibial shaft.