Massive preoperative pulmonary embolism and suprasellar brain tumor: case report and review of the literature.

A 57-year-old man presented to our facility with the diagnosis of a suprasellar mass and died on the 2nd post-admission day from a massive pulmonary embolism. At autopsy, the mass was diagnosed as craniopharyngioma. This case report and review of the literature suggest an intimate relation between brain tumors and thromboembolic complications as evidenced by the high incidence of this association, the frequent occurrence of coagulopathies in patients with brain tumors, and the prevalence of tumors in the suprasellar location. The specific mechanisms that may be at play are reviewed.