PULMONARY EMBOLISM RESPONSE TEAM
PULMONARY EMBOLISM RESPONSE TEAM
PULMONARY EMBOLISM RESPONSE TEAM HELPS SAVE PATIENT
In July 2020 , Amanda Pullen-Hendrix believed she was having an asthma attack , but it turned out to be a life-threatening stroke and multiple blood clots .
She woke up gasping for breath , her face began to droop , her speech was slurred , and the left side of her body became weak . A call to 911 had her quickly transported to UAB Medicine , where she was surrounded by the Pulmonary Embolism Response Team ( PERT ). Led by cardiologist Sam McElwee , MD , and pulmonologist Keith Wille , MD , this multidisciplinary team has treated more than 340 patients since its inception in 2018 .
Pullen-Hendrix had a pulmonary embolism blocking an artery in her lungs and an abnormal opening in her heart that allowed part of a clot in her lungs to break free and travel to her brain , leading to a stroke . The team also discovered a serious clot in the main artery of her right leg . “ Given Mrs . Pullen- Hendrix ’ s condition , it was vital that our entire team meet to look at all of the treatment options and determine the best way to care for her ,” Dr . McElwee says .
Amanda Pullen-Hendrix Credit : Image shot by Steve Wood
The team suctioned out the clot in her brain , closed the patent foramen ovale in her heart , and proceeded to remove the pulmonary embolism . But Pullen-Hendrix went into cardiac arrest and needed to be placed on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation ( ECMO ) to keep her breathing . “ Her heart stopped for 10 minutes , and I was told to prepare for the reality of losing her ,” says Pullen-Hendrix ’ s wife , Sarah .
Over the next two weeks , doctors removed the tube that was helping Pullen-Hendrix breathe , and she was taken off ECMO . She had no neurological deficits and soon was moved to the UAB Heart and Lung Transplant Intensive Care Unit , where she underwent multiple surgeries , including an inferior vena cava ( IVC ) filter placement to prevent blood clots from traveling to her lungs .
COMPLICATIONS DURING RECOVERY While undergoing occupational and physical therapy for her leg at UAB Spain Rehabilitation Center , Pullen- Hendrix was still experiencing severe nerve pain and a lack of mobility and feeling in her lower leg . At the same time , the vascular team found a pseudoaneurysm , a ballooning of the arterial wall that required three surgeries to repair it . After learning that her chances of her regaining mobility in her leg were slim , Pullen-Hendrix made the decision to have an amputation . “ I wanted to be able to start working and living a normal life again , so I decided an amputation was the best solution for me ,” Pullen-Hendrix says .
She was fitted for a prosthetic and then underwent a final surgery to remove the IVC filter . She ’ s now back at work and has mobility that enables her independence .
“ There are definitely still some hard days , but I am thankful to be alive ,” Pullen-Hendrix says . “ Everyone at UAB was so dedicated to my case , and I am grateful for the team that took care of me during this experience .”
26 UAB Cardiovascular Institute Annual Report