Published in:
28-11-2023 | Sternotomy | CE - MEDICAL ILLUSTRATION
Thromboembolic stroke from aberrant sternotomy wire
Authors:
Andreea Popa, Ana Pineda, Murtaza Akhter
Published in:
Internal and Emergency Medicine
|
Issue 2/2024
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Excerpt
A 70-year-old female was brought in by EMS as a prehospital stroke alert for weakness and confusion. She had a history of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, pancreatic cancer, coronary artery bypass graft surgery, and a prior stroke with residual dysarthria. Additional history revealed that the patient was found down and confused at home the morning of presentation—last seen at her baseline over 4.5 hours prior-to-arrival. Initial blood pressure was 122/53 mmhg with a point-of-care glucose of 181. On exam, the patient was alert and oriented only to self. There was evidence of dried blood around her mouth. She had right gaze preference with partial hemianopia, minor left facial paralysis, and mild-to-moderate dysarthria. NIHSS was 4. Labs were unremarkable. …