Gram negative grimness: unveiling prognostic peril of septic pulmonary embolism in a case series

Abstract

Septic pulmonary embolism (SPE) is a complex condition characterized by the embolization of fibrin-thrombi containing pathogens from an infectious site to pulmonary vasculature, leading to secondary infection. The commonly reported causes are right sided infective endocarditis, septic thrombophlebitis, purulent infections in the skin and soft tissues, pelvic thrombophlebitis, intravascular catheters and liver abscess and the leading organisms implicated are Staphylococcus and Klebsiella. This case series describes three elderly patients with comorbid illnesses and having gram-negative septicemia secondary to Klebsiella, each with sub segmental septic pulmonary emboli and tries to explores the possibility of association of sub segmental SPE as prognostication marker in gram negative sepsis.