Eur J Anat, 20 (3): 221-225 (2016)

Pulmonary thromboembolism in a patient with May-Thurner syndrome: a case report

Lucía Romero-Acevedo1, Rosa Ros-Vilamajó¹, Selena Gala Aguilera-García¹, Emilio González-Reimers¹, Rubén Hernández-Luis¹, María Monereo-Muñoz¹, Francisco Díaz-Romero²

¹Department of Internal Medicine, Hospital Universitario de Canarias, La Laguna, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain, ²Department of Radiology, Hospital Universitario de Canarias, La Laguna, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain

ABSTRACT A 41-year-old woman was admitted to the emergency room with symptoms compatible with deep vein thrombosis affecting the left lower extremity and pulmonary thromboembolism. A CT scan was consistent with pulmonary emboli and thrombosis of the iliac veins extending to the inferior vena cava, which persisted even after correct systemic fibrinolytic therapy. For this reason, a venography was performed and local thrombolysis was administered. Venography revealed a compression of the left common iliac vein caused by the right common iliac artery, so that the patient was diagnosed with May-Thurner syndrome. The clinical features of this anatomical condition and sometimes lethal clinical syndrome are discussed.

Keywords: Deep vein thrombosis (DVT), Pulmonary thromboembolism, May-Thurner syndrome