Peroperative circulatory arrest caused by a tumoral pulmonary embolism following hepatectomy for tumor. Apropos of a case
Blanloeil, Y.; Paineau, J.; Visset, J.; Mathis, M.; Buzelin, F.; Dixneuf, B.
La Semaine des Hopitaux Organe Fonde Par l'Association d'Enseignement Medical des Hopitaux de Paris 59(20): 1559-1561
1983
ISSN/ISBN: 0037-1777 PMID: 6308782 Document Number: 197441
The authors report a case of pulmonary tumor embolism during a hepatectomy for hepatoma, leading to a fatal cardiac arrest. This cause of cardiac arrest during operation has never been reported in the literature, but systematic autopsies of patients dying from liver cancer, especially primary or metastatic tumors, shows that the incidence of these embolisms is frequently underestimated. Any anomaly of the hepatic vein appearing in the X-rays implies a danger of intra- or post-operative embolism. Allowance must therefore be made for this in the surgical technique, which should include complete or partial cross-clamping of the vena cava.