A 42-year-old man died from a blood clot in his lung last Friday (May 3) evening, days after undergoing surgery on his leg.

Lianhe Zaobao reported on May 10 that the man had fallen while getting into his colleague's car on the afternoon of April 24 at Bulim Avenue in Jurong West.

The moving car then ran over the man's left leg, and he was immediately rushed to the hospital for treatment.

According to the Chinese paper, the man was later discharged and allowed to return home. The hospital he stayed at, and his discharge date was not reported.

On April 29, the man visited the hospital for a follow-up appointment, where he was recommended to undergo surgery as the wound was swollen.

He was hospitalised again after the surgery and was reportedly in good condition.

Four days later, however, a ward nurse discovered that the man was not breathing.

His cause of death was pulmonary embolism caused by deep vein thrombosis in the calf, reported Zaobao.

Risk of deep vein thrombosis higher after major surgery

Professor Lee Lai Heng, senior consultant with the Department of Haematology at the Singapore General Hospital, told Zaobao that deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism are classified as venous thromboembolism.

Deep vein thrombosis occurs when a blood clot develops in a deep vein, typically in the calves or thigh.

The clot may break off from the deep vein and travel through the blood stream into the lungs, blocking blood flow and preventing oxygen supply, eventually developing into pulmonary embolism.

According to Prof Lee, venous thromboembolism can be life-threatening.

The risk of developing deep vein thrombosis is increased after prolonged immobilisation, stroke, and major orthopaedic surgery. Other causes include cancer, autoimmune diseases and infections, and personal and family history.

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lim.kewei@asiaone.com

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