A Rare Case of Fatal Pulmonary Embolism in a Pediatric Spine Surgery.

BACKGROUND

An 11-year-old girl had undergone posterior spinal fusion surgery for scoliosis. The surgery was complicated by intraoperative bleeding, and hemostasis was achieved by topically applying gelatin sponges.

CASE DESCRIPTION: She developed acute pulmonary embolism and cardiac arrest during the surgery, which was confirmed by transesophageal echocardiography.

CONCLUSIONS

Autopsy shortly after revealed that her death was associated with unintended intravascular entry of gelatin sponge fragments, resulting in an embolic event and secondary cardiopulmonary collapse.