Postoperative pulmonary embolism in a young female accompanying with Factor V Leiden mutation and hereditary sypherocytosis

Abstract

A 20 year-old female, heterozygous for Factor V Leiden mutation (FVLM) is presented. Her personal history was prominent for severe anaemia during her gestation. Aetiology of anaemia was found to be hereditary spherocytosis (HS). Intrauterine foetal death had occurred at 20 weeks of gestational age. Two days after curettage, she developed pulmonary embolism (PE). This is an unusual case of pulmonary embolism and intrauterine foetal death coexisting with FVLM and/or HS. We present the case so that a general practitioner or haematologist can hardly see such cases in daily practice. Hence, a young female with PE should be screened for hypercoagulable states including FVLM or HS.