Saddle Pulmonary Embolism: Demographics, Clinical Presentation, and Outcomes

Saddle pulmonary embolism is an uncommon type of venous thromboembolism that can lead to sudden hemodynamic collapse and death. Saddle pulmonary embolism can be difficult to recognize, and data on its presentation, clinical features, and associated complications are sparse. We sought to characterize patients with saddle pulmonary embolism.

The Montage software (Nuance, Burlington, MA) was used to identify patients to create a retrospective cohort study.

Montefiore Medical Center from January 1, 2012, to December 31, 2018.

All subjects diagnosed with saddle pulmonary embolism in above time period.

Charts were reviewed for demographics, diagnostics, laboratory data, presenting vital signs, inhospital mortality, 6-month survival, and prevalence of recurrent venous thromboembolism.

About 120 patients with saddle pulmonary embolism were identified. Median age was 61 years and 57.5% were women. Events were provoked by a transient risk factor in 43.3%. On presentation, median mean arterial pressures were normal (93 mm Hg). Only five of 120 of patients (4.2%) presented with vitals concerning for massive pulmonary embolism. We found a 9.2% inhospital mortality; an additional 8.6% died within 6 months of discharge. Inhospital mortality was higher in women (11.6%), compared with men (3.9%), but this was not significant (p = 0.28). In 10 patients, both ventilation/perfusion scans and computed tomography pulmonary angiogram were performed. None of the ventilation/perfusion scans diagnosed saddle pulmonary embolism. Thrombus was visualized in the right heart in eight of 105 (7.6%), and this group had a higher inhospital mortality (37.5%). Recurrent venous thromboembolism occurred in 13 of 85 of survivors (15.3%).

Despite presenting without the accepted clinical criteria for massive pulmonary embolism, saddle pulmonary embolism has a very high inhospital mortality. Ventilation/perfusion scan is unable to diagnose saddle pulmonary embolism. Visualized right heart thrombi portend an even higher inhospital mortality.