Pulmonary embolism due to internal jugular vein thrombosis without an indwelling catheter

Abstract

A 65-year-old man who had undergone retropubic prostatectomy for prostate adenocarcinoma presented with sudden dyspnea and chest pain. Contrast-enhanced multi-slice computed tomography (MSCT) revealed thrombi in the left internal jugular vein (IJV) and in branches of the right pulmonary artery. Ultrasonography showed that the thrombus which occluded the left IJV was hypoechoic and mobile. After beginning anticoagulant therapy, he again presented with dyspnea and transient hypotension. MSCT and ultrasonography showed that the IJV thrombns had moved and caused a new embolism of the left pulmonary artery branch. This is a rare case of a patient who experienced non-catheter-related thrombosis of the IJV. © 2009 The Japanese Society of Internal Medicine.