The Journal of arthroplasty
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In the event of a postoperative pulmonary embolism (PE), it is generally believed that patients with centrally located emboli will have worse clinical symptoms than those with segmental or subsegmental ones. We studied if a relationship exists between the clinical severity at the time of PE diagnosis and the location of the emboli within the pulmonary vasculature. ⋯ The PESI, a recognized, validated predictor of mortality after PE was similar in patients with central, segmental, or subsegmental PE; and in patients with unilateral or bilateral lung involvement. The present study may aid clinicians while assessing and discussing the severity of PE symptoms with patients at the time of diagnosis.