Pulmonary embolism presenting as supraventricular tachycardia in paraplegia: a case report.

Supraventricular tachycardia as a presenting sign of pulmonary embolism is unusual. A 31-year-old man with incomplete T11 paraplegia on the basis of spinal cord ischemia developed supraventricular tachycardia 37 days after surgery to repair an aortic tear. Subsequent work-up revealed evidence of multiple submassive pulmonary emboli, despite thromboembolism prophylaxis. Clinicians should maintain a high index of suspicion for thromboembolic events when faced with cardiac rhythm disturbances in high-risk patients.