Association of Asphalt Paving Technologists Proceedings · 1981 · 30 citations · 0 references
EngineeringCivil EngineeringBuilding MaterialsPavement EngineeringTransportationAsphalt MaterialsDurabilityMaterial DurabilityPavement DesignPavement MaterialsPaving MaterialsAsphalt MixturesAsphalt Pavement DurabilityDurability Of Asphalt MaterialsPavement DeteriorationPavement DurabilityRefiningService Conditions
A 56-year-old woman was hospitalized because of jaundice, vomiting, and weight loss. Diagnostic measures were almost all negative except for computer tomography of the abdomen, which revealed a cyst in the pancreas. During performance of a diagnostic laparotomy the patient suddenly died, presenting with cyanosis and untreatable circulatory failure with a markedly elevated central venous pressure. Autopsy revealed pulmonary tumor-cell embolization. This rare cause of sudden death is characterized by the discrepancy between the clinical picture and the virtually negative preoperative diagnostic results. We present this case report as a reminder of this clinical entity and recommend an autopsy in every case of unexpected death under anesthesia.