Successful thrombolytic therapy of pulmonary embolism associated with urosepsis in an infant.

Childhood pulmonary embolism (PE) is a rare but serious condition marked by hypoxemia, shock, right-sided heart failure, and significant risk for fatality. Recommended treatment options include surgical embolectomy, anticoagulation, and thrombolysis. This report describes the successful use of recombinant tissue plasminogen activator to treat PE associated with urosepsis in a 34-day-old infant and reverse severe hemodynamic compromise. Diagnosis of proximal PE and monitoring its treatment were successfully achieved by echocardiography.