[Aggressive treatment of acute pulmonary embolism. 132 consecutive patients treated with heparin, streptokinase or embolectomy, 1975-1987].

During 1975-1987, 132 patients were treated for acute pulmonary embolism with heparin (n = 41), streptokinase (n = 52), or embolectomy (n = 39). In 1984, the indications for embolectomy were broadened to include all patients with central emboli, also those who were circulatory stable. The heparin-, streptokinase-, and embolectomy groups differed from each other as regards the degree of circulatory impairment (stable circulation/reversible shock/circulatory collapse: 68/32/0% versus 52/48/0% versus 16/56/28%, p less than 0.0001) and embolic score (20 for complete obstruction; 5.6 +/- 3.4 versus 8.7 +/- 2.8 versus 13.2 +/- 2.4, p less than 0.0001), but were comparable in terms of prognosis (30-day mortality/10-year survival +/- standard error: 7%/61 +/- 9% versus 13%/59 +/- 9% versus 18%/61 +/- 10%). Stable circulation, reversible shock, and circulatory collapse prior to embolectomy resulted in 30-day mortalities of 0%, 9%, and 45% respectively (p less than 0.01). During 1984-1987, no early or late deaths after embolectomy were observed in patients without circulatory collapse (n = 10). In comparable patients (embolic score greater than or equal to 9, symptom duration less than or equal to 7 days, no circulatory collapse), streptokinase treatment (n = 13) and embolectomy (n = 25) resulted in 10-year survival +/- standard error of 46 +/- 16% and 82 +/- 10% respectively (p less than 0.0001) and in an embolic score-reduction (score before minus score after treatment) of 5.7 +/- 2.3 and 10.5 +/- 2.9, respectively (p less than 0.0001). Embolectomy during extracorporeal circulation should be considered the treatment-of-choice in patients with acute central emboli.