Emergency pulmonary embolectomy

Pulmonary embolectomy maybe a life saving procedure in the unresponsive hypotensive patient following a massive pulmonary embolectomy despite optimal medical therapy. We report a successful pulmonary embolectomy in a 47 year old patient, three days post post coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and a new approach to the problem of caval filters in such patients. This case demonstrates the benefit of early surgery in this life threatening situation.