A case of asymptomatic bilateral massive pulmonary embolism after arthroscopic multiple knee ligament reconstruction

Venous thromboembolism, which includes deep venous thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE), is a serious complication after operations involving the lower extremities, and it can be fatal. However, few reports have described the incidence of PE and its associated risk factors after arthroscopic knee surgery. We present a case of bilateral massive PE of the main pulmonary arteries and DVT detected on multi-detector row computed tomography after arthroscopic multiple knee ligament reconstruction. Our patient was asymptomatic despite having several risk factors for thromboembolic events (43 years of age, a long operation time, obesity, and diabetes mellitus) and receiving no pharmacologic thromboembolic prophylaxis. Although fatality due to PE is relatively uncommon, when a patient has several risk factors for PE, perioperative thromboprophylaxis should be considered. Level of evidence IV.