Extensive Postpartum Upper and Lower Extremity Deep Vein Thrombosis in a Patient With a History of Preeclampsia

• Published in: Curēus (Palo Alto, CA) Vol. 15; no. 6; p. e41109
• Main Authors: Jaramillo, Nolberto, Raidah, Anisa, Pradas, Katherine F, Lev, Steven, Ramanathan, Anantha
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Cureus Inc 28.06.2023; Cureus
• Subjects: Anemia; Anticoagulants; Cardiac/Thoracic/Vascular Surgery; Case reports; Cesarean section; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; General Surgery; Molecular weight; Neck pain; Obstetrics/Gynecology; Postpartum period; Preeclampsia; Pregnancy; Pulmonary embolisms; Surgery; Thromboembolism; Thrombosis; Thyroid gland; Tomography; Ultrasonic imaging; Veins & arteries; United States > US; pre-eclampsia; acute pulmonary embolism; preeclampsia; post-partum period; upper extremity thrombosis; acute deep vein thrombosis
• ISSN: 2168-8184; 2168-8184
• DOI: 10.7759/cureus.41109

We describe the case of a 19-year-old woman with no significant medical history who developed progressive right-sided neck pain and palpitations one month following a pregnancy complicated by preeclampsia. Family history was significant for unprovoked deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE) in her father at age 44. Systemic examination revealed mild swelling of the right upper extremity with pain on palpation. Computed tomography (CT) of the thorax with contrast demonstrated extensive occlusion of right upper extremity veins and collateralization of chest wall veins. Pulmonary emboli were present bilaterally in the segmental and subsegmental branches of the lower lobe pulmonary arteries. CT of the abdomen with contrast revealed thrombi in the left common and external iliac veins. Thrombophilia screening was normal. The patient was treated with enoxaparin and ampicillin/sulbactam. Her clinical condition improved, and she was discharged with an outpatient clinic follow-up appointment.