Agnogenic massive pulmonary embolism with syncope as initial symptom: A case report and review of the literature

Pulmonary embolism may escape prompt diagnosis since clinical symptoms and signs are nonspecific. The occurrence of syncope as the sole initial symptom in a previously healthy patient with no predisposing factors to embolism and no hemodynamic instability is extremely rare, which may have been a factor in the delayed diagnosis. We describe a case of agnogenic massive pulmonary embolism with syncope as the initial symptom. A 41-year-old previously healthy female was admitted to the Department of Neurology, Taizhou People’s Hospital in March 2012, for two transitory episodes of syncope during a 5-h period. Following admission, chest computed tomography demonstrated embolism in the right main pulmonary and left inferior pulmonary arteries. Color ultrasonography revealed a dilated right ventricle and right heart overload, severe tricuspid regurgitation and severe pulmonary hypertension. Following the final diagnosis, the patient was successfully treated with interventional mechanical thrombectomy combined with thrombolytic therapy with local and systemic low-dose urokinase. We consider that raised awareness and early diagnosis and treatment were key factors in ensuring a satisfactory prognosis.