Volumetric capnography: In the diagnostic work-up of chronic thromboembolic disease

Abstract

Marcos Mello Moreira1, Renato Giuseppe Giovanni Terzi1, Laura Cortellazzi2, Antonio Luis Eiras Falcão1, Heitor Moreno Junior2, Luiz Cláudio Martins2, Otavio Rizzi Coelho21Department of Surgery, 2Department of Internal Medicine, State University of Campinas, School of Medical Sciences, Campinas, Sao Paulo, BrazilAbstract: The morbidity and mortality of pulmonary embolism (PE) have been found to be related to early diagnosis and appropriate treatment. The examinations used to diagnose PE are expensive and not always easily accessible. These options include noninvasive examinations, such as clinical pretests, ELISA D-dimer (DD) tests, and volumetric capnography (VCap). We report the case of a patient whose diagnosis of PE was made via pulmonary arteriography. The clinical pretest revealed a moderate probability of the patient having PE, and the DD result was negative; however, the VCap associated with arterial blood gases result was positive. The patient underwent all noninvasive exams following admission to hospital and again eight months after discharge. Results gained from invasive tests were similar to those produced by image exams, highlighting the importance of VCap as an important noninvasive tool.Keywords: pulmonary embolism, pulmonary hypertension, volumetric capnography, d-dimers, pretest probability