What condition should be suspected in a 75-year-old female with sudden right-sided chest pain and dyspnea following hip surgery?

The sudden onset of right-sided chest pain and dyspnea in a 75-year-old female following hip surgery raises significant concern for a pulmonary embolism. After surgical procedures, especially orthopedic ones like hip surgery, patients are at increased risk for thromboembolic events due to factors such as immobility, potential venous stasis, and hypercoagulability.

Pulmonary embolism occurs when a blood clot, often originating from the deep veins of the legs (deep vein thrombosis), travels to the lungs, obstructing a pulmonary artery. This blockage can lead to acute respiratory distress and chest pain, commonly described as pleuritic in nature, which aligns with the patient's symptoms. The sudden nature of the symptoms also fits the typical presentation of a pulmonary embolism, where patients can rapidly develop shortness of breath, hypoxemia, and altered hemodynamics.

While other conditions like myocardial infarction, pneumothorax, and congestive heart failure can present with similar symptoms, their typical clinical features and associated risk factors in the context of recent surgery do not align as closely as with pulmonary embolism. Therefore, the scenario described is most indicative of a pulmonary embolism, which necessitates urgent evaluation and management.