ABSTRACT
A 45-year-old woman was admitted to hospital (day 0) with a 5-day history of worsening right iliac fossa pain. She was diagnosed with a ruptured appendix and underwent an appendicectomy. The following day (day 1), she developed shortness of breath and left-sided chest pain on deep inspiration. A CT pulmonary angiogram showed a left-sided subsegmental pulmonary embolus. The patient was prescribed an unfractionated heparin infusion due to her significant bleeding risk and potential need for further abdominal surgery.
