Airambulance

A woman developed pulmonary embolism with cardiac arrest after caesarean section. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation was performed for 45 min during which echocardiography showed right ventricular dilatation. After stabilization, but still in a critical condition, the patient was transferred by airambulance to a hospital with facilities for extracorporeal circulation. A massive embolus was removed. Some hours after extubation the patient developed respiratory insufficiency and hypovolaemia. Re-intubation was followed by severe hypotension requiring external cardiac compression for about 15 min...