[Rise in incidence of pulmonary embolism fatalities among surgical patients and disposing factors involved. Analysis for a 50 year period (author's transl)].

During the 50 year period from 1917 to 1966, 210078 patients were treated in the Surgical Clinic of the University of Jena. Autopsies were carried out on 10083 of the patients which had dies in the Clinic. The average incidence rate of lung embolism was 0.44%, the range of values lying between 0.04% (1917) and 1.02% (1965). In periods of famine or distress, lung embolism reached its lowest point, whereas in periods of relative prosperity a high peak was reached. On the whole, the incidence of pulmonary embolism seem to be the increased age of the patients population and the higher frequency of associated heart and circulatory diseases, obesity, and accidents, as well as the extended indications for surgery in the aged.