Acute Surgical Abdomen: An Unusual Presentation of Pulmonary Embolus

Background. Pulmonary embolism is a common and potentially lethal condition. Most patients who die from massive pulmonary embolism do so within the first few hours of the event. The clinical manifestations of pulmonary embolism are nonspecific, which makes the diagnosis difficult. Case Report. We present a case of massive pulmonary embolism presenting as an acute surgical abdomen that underwent exploratory laparotomy and made a complete recovery. Why should an emergency physician be aware of this? Emergency department physicians should be aware that massive pulmonary embolism could present as an acute surgical abdomen in young healthy individuals.