50705/85         PULMONARY EMBOLUS

This was a case of sudden death.

The specimen shows a massive embolus occluding the main pulmonary artery. Pale masses of thrombus with a striated cut-surface can be seen occluding the major pulmonary arteries. The emboli came from the deep vessels of the leg where thrombosis was one manifestation of disseminated intravascular coagulation complicating acute promyelocytic leukaemia.