Defying the paradigm - rescue thrombolysis in a postoperative patient with pulmonary embolism

Parenteral anticoagulation is recommended for patients of intermediate - high early mortality risk pulmonary embolism. Rescue reperfusion is considered if signs of hemodynamic decompensation appear. Recent surgery is a contraindication to thrombolysis. Percutaneous catheter directed thrombolysis and surgical embolectomy can be done in such patients. However, they are not readily available. We hereby report a case of rescue thrombolysis in a post lower segment caesarean section (LSCS) patient with pulmonary thromboembolism. We could successfully achieve thrombolysis in our patient with improvement in clinical and hemodynamic parameters and with no major bleeding from any site.