Symptomatic bilateral massive pulmonary embolism and proximal and distal deep vein thrombosis following arthroscopic meniscus surgery: A case report

RATIONALE: The incidence of venous thromboembolism (VTE) after knee arthroscopy is remarkably lower than that of arthroplasty. We describe a patient with symptomatic bilateral massive pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) and deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in the femoral and popliteal veins after arthroscopic meniscus repair surgery. PATIENT CONCERNS: The patient underwent arthroscopic meniscus repair with no intraoperative complication. There were no underlying diseases such as hypertension or diabetes. On day 5 postoperative, the patient complained of dyspnea, chest discomfort, and nausea after standing. DIAGNOSIS: On DVT and PTE computed tomography, there were multifocal PTEs in the distal portion of the main and segmental branches of both pulmonary arteries. There was a focal thrombosis in the left deep femoral vein, as well as small DVTs in the left popliteal and calf veins. INTERVENTIONS: After 3 days of low-molecular-weight heparin 1 mg/kg every 12 hours, treatment was changed to an oral drug, dabigatran, for 6 months. OUTCOMES: There were no PTE or DVT findings on computed tomography at 6 months postoperative. The patient did not complain of symptoms related to PTE or DVT at 6 months after the operation, has returned to work, and is living without discomfort. LESSIONS: The frequency of VTE is very low after arthroscopic meniscus surgery, but it represents a life-threatening event. Our patient had risk factors for VTE including obesity, surgery time of ∼60 minutes, and immobilization. Although arthroscopic meniscus surgery is relatively safe, evaluation of risk factors for VTE should be performed before and after surgery, and appropriate thromboprophylaxis should be provided when necessary.