Another complication of barotrauma.

Communications to the Editor patients leads us to believe that percutaneous catheter fragmentation and dispersion ofthe thrombus using conventional cardiac catheters is important in the emergency management of patients who have collapsed or are seriously compromised because of a massive pulmonary embolus. While catheter pulmonary embolectomy by experienced operators undoubtedly has saved lives, clinicians in hospitals without angiographic equipment but with access to x-ray screening facilities should still consider attempting percutaneous catheter fragmentation and dispersion in such patients.