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Iatrogenic systemic air embolism treated with hyperbaric oxygen therapy
Author(s) -
JØRGENSEN T. B.,
SØRENSEN A. M.,
JANSEN E. C.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
acta anaesthesiologica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.738
H-Index - 107
eISSN - 1399-6576
pISSN - 0001-5172
DOI - 10.1111/j.1399-6576.2008.01598.x
Subject(s) - medicine , air embolism , intracranial embolism , hyperbaric oxygen , embolism , complication , shunt (medical) , systemic circulation , circulatory system , cerebral circulation , surgery , anesthesia , cardiology
Air embolism is a rare and potentially severe complication of surgical and invasive procedures. Emboli large enough to produce symptoms require immediate treatment because of the risk of ‘gas lock’ in the right side of the heart and subsequent circulatory failure. If air is transmitted to the arterial circulation through a shunt, it may cause cerebral emboli with neurological symptoms. We present two cases with venous air emboli and concurrent cerebral arterial emboli. Both patients were successfully treated with hyperbaric oxygen therapy.