Tromboembolismo pulmonar y sus desafíos diagnósticos en el Ecuador: una revisión bibliográfica

Pulmonary thromboembolism is a common cause of morbidity and mortality. Despite advanced medical and laboratory technology, its diagnosis remains a major challenge. Materials and methods: A literature review was conducted to characterize PE from both antemortem and postmortem diagnosis. A total of 26 texts published in the last 10 years, in Spanish, English, and Portuguese, were consulted. The annual incidence of PE is estimated at 115 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, and its pathophysiology was related to a combination of endothelial injury, blood stasis, and hypercoagulable states. Antemortem diagnosis uses algorithms that assess clinical features and complementary (D-dimer and imaging) findings. In the postmortem state, autopsy was the most reliable method. In Ecuador, limited information was available, and some authors reported poor compliance with standardized protocols in national referral hospitals. Likewise, the performance of autopsies was quite limited for cases involving forensic medicine. Conclusions: In Ecuador, PET continues to have gray areas, both in the application of standardized protocols and in postmortem diagnosis.