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First, note that pathology is not an easy residency. At michigan today we had 5 autopsies. Although one of them was brain only. I was responsible for 2. One was an operated congenital heart case and the other was a person with a low grade chronic illness who suffered a sudden death.
The sudden death had pulmonary emboli in each lung. Eureka! The first autopsy I have actually had that demonstrated a pulmonary embolus, despite the fact that 95% of cases that are sent down from upstairs where the clinical history has anything of the following: dyspnea, SOB, tachypnea, tachycardia, acid-base abnormalities, hypoxia, peripheral edema carries a statement "likely pulmonary embolus."
Do other people experience this? No one ever has a PE. This lady did, and ironically, they did not have it in their differential. She was a "likely aspiration followed by ventricular arrhythmia." (She had chronic interstitial lung disease and right heart failure).
A real pulmonary embolus. two of them. We took lots of pictures. If I get the photos back I will prove it to you.
The sudden death had pulmonary emboli in each lung. Eureka! The first autopsy I have actually had that demonstrated a pulmonary embolus, despite the fact that 95% of cases that are sent down from upstairs where the clinical history has anything of the following: dyspnea, SOB, tachypnea, tachycardia, acid-base abnormalities, hypoxia, peripheral edema carries a statement "likely pulmonary embolus."
Do other people experience this? No one ever has a PE. This lady did, and ironically, they did not have it in their differential. She was a "likely aspiration followed by ventricular arrhythmia." (She had chronic interstitial lung disease and right heart failure).
A real pulmonary embolus. two of them. We took lots of pictures. If I get the photos back I will prove it to you.