Saving Lives with Code PE

Dr. Rishi Kaushal led an initiative to deliver faster, coordinated care to Providence Little Company of Mary’s critically ill pulmonary embolism patients.

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When the paramedics arrived at his home in Hawthorne, Dean Kostantinos, then age 41, could barely speak. Moments earlier, struggling for breath, he had whispered to his teenage daughter, “Call 911.”

Recognizing the critical signs of a pulmonary embolism (PE)—a life-threatening clot cutting off blood circulation in the lungs—the paramedics knew exactly where Dean needed to go: Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center Torrance. There, the emergency department team quickly recognized the pulmonary embolism and activated Code PE. The medical center’s Code PE protocol is a rapid, multi-departmental response system designed to deliver fast, effective treatment and specialized care aligned with national PE standards.

A quick CT scan showed that a blood clot was blocking Dean’s pulmonary artery where it branches between the lungs. “I wasn’t sure what was going on,” he recalls. “I was scared and nervous.”

Emergency room doctors administered a clot-busting drug, but it failed to break up the clot. Dean went into cardiac shock. Fortunately, interventional cardiologist Rishi Kaushal, MD, who had been instrumental in creating the Code PE protocol a few years earlier, was on duty. Dr. Kaushal used Inari Medical’s FlowTriever system to successfully clear the massive blockage.

“The color returned to Dean’s face immediately,” says Dr. Kaushal. “It was one of those dramatic moments where a patient comes back from the verge of death.”

Dean’s wife, Tania, remembers Dr. Kaushal coming into the waiting area after the surgery. “He had a smile on his face, so even before he said anything, I thought it must be good news,” she says. “I thanked him so much.”

“This recognition validates our dedication to delivering transformative care to our community.”

Today, three years after his crisis, Dean is enjoying life with Tania and their three children in a new home in Torrance. His remarkable recovery is a testament to the high-quality care available in the South Bay, which inspired donor and former patient Julius Bogdanowicz and his wife, Barbara, to generously fund the rigorous national accreditation process conducted by the Pulmonary Embolism Response Team (PERT) Consortium.

Following a comprehensive, six-month review spanning seven clinical departments, Providence Little Company of Mary Torrance achieved an important milestone: recognition as a PERT Comprehensive Care Center and PE Center of Excellence. The medical center stands as one of only two hospitals in Southern California to hold this national distinction, and one of 16 nationwide.

“We are exceptionally proud of achieving PERT Center of Excellence accreditation,” says Dr. Kaushal. “This recognition validates our dedication to delivering transformative care to our community, while joining a network of thought leaders committed to advancing and defining the standard of care.”

Most importantly for patients, says Dr. Kaushal, “We’ve built a reputation for good outcomes.”