Massive Pulmonary Embolism in a Postoperative Patient
A branching clinical case simulation for a patient presenting with sudden breathlessness and dizziness three weeks after knee replacement. Take a history, examine, investigate, diagnose and treat while the patient responds to every decision, then see the score by clinical domain with the reasoning for each mark.
Year 4hard20 min6 stages
- Patient
- 45 years, female
- Presenting complaint
- Sudden breathlessness and dizziness three weeks after knee replacement
- Decision stages
- History, Examination, Investigations, Diagnosis, Treatment, Monitoring
The presentation
Three weeks after an elective left total knee replacement, 45-year-old Sarah Jenkins presents to the emergency department with sudden onset breathlessness and dizziness. She is anxious, pale, and clammy. You are the medical student in the acute medical unit. Her observations on arrival are: HR 125, BP 85/55, RR 28, SpO2 88% on air, Temp 37.0°C. You need to assess and manage her.
What this case teaches
Risk-stratify pulmonary embolism; recognise haemodynamic compromise; decide on thrombolysis versus anticoagulation; manage the airway and circulation meanwhile.
How the case unfolds
- 1Focused HistoryHistory
- 2ExaminationExamination
- 3InvestigationsInvestigations
- 4DiagnosisDiagnosis
- 5Immediate ManagementTreatment
- 6Monitoring and Next StepsMonitoring
The decisions available at each stage, and what each one costs or earns, appear when you run the case.
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A free account opens the simulator: the patient's observations move with your decisions, and every choice is scored and explained.
Taught in
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Educational content for students and clinicians in training. It does not replace professional judgement, local protocols or current prescribing information.