OBSERVATIONS ON THE FATE OF LARGE PULMONARY EMBOLI

Abstract

Twenty-one patients with angiographic evidence of pulmonary embolism were grouped, on the basis of clinical, necropsy and cardiac catheterization findings, into those with and those without coexistent cardiopulmonary disease. The emboli of 7 of the patients without cardiac or lung disease were demonstrated, on angiography or necropsy, to have undergone complete or almost complete resolution in periods ranging from 10 to 184 days. In only 1 patient in the group of 13 patients with cardiopulmonary disease did resolution of the pulmonary embolus occur. These findings support the thesis that the resolution of pulmonary emboli is adversely affected by the presence of cardiopulmonary disease.