Ataque isquémico transitorio por embolia aérea iatrogénica secundaria a inyecciones intracavernosas en procedimiento urológico / Transient ischemic attack due to iatrogenic air embolism secondary to intracavernous injections during an urologic procedure

RESUMEN Se presenta un caso de ataque isquémico transitorio con sintomatología compatible con lesión de la circulación cerebral posterior, secundario a embolia aérea iatrogénica. Se describe la evolución clínica y las consideraciones más relevantes de la atención y el diagnóstico del ataque cerebrovascular de la circulación posterior. En cuanto a la embolia gaseosa, se describen los métodos diagnósticos, las intervenciones clínicas y las opciones de tratamiento disponibles.

SUMMARY Here ia a case of transient ischemic attack with symptoms compatible with injury to the posterior cerebral circulation, secondary to iatrogenic air embolism. Clinical evolution and the most relevant aspects for the care and diagnosis of cerebrovascular stroke of the posterior circulation are described. Regarding air embolism, the diagnostic methods, clinical interventions, and available treatment options are described.

A case of pulmonary barotrauma complicated with cerebral arterial air embolism in a diver / 中华劳动卫生职业病杂志

Pulmonary barotrauma is a kind of disease caused by the injury of lung tissue or blood vessel when the gas pressure of lung is too high or too lower than the external pressure of the body, which causes the air to enter the blood vessel and adjacent tissue. It could be happened in the escape of the divers with the light diving equipment or the sailors from submarine. Generally, the decompression chamber was used to treating the disease, and the minimum air pressure of 0.5 MPa recompression therapeutic schedule was used to selecting. In November 2019, a patient with pulmonary barotrauma combined with cerebral arterial gas embolism caused by improper underwater escape with light diving equipment was admitted to the General Hospital of Eastern War Zone. He was treated with 0.12 MPa oxygen inhalation recompression scheme in the oxygen chamber pressurized with air. 7 days later, the patient recovered and discharged.

Posición semisentada en neurocirugía. Nota técnica y presentación de casos ilustrativos / Semi-sitting position in neurosurgery. Technical note and illustrative case presentation

Introducción: En las últimas décadas el uso de la posición sentada ha disminuido en frecuencia a causa de 2 complicaciones mayores: el embolismo aéreo venoso y la hipotensión intraoperatoria. Sin embargo es innegable que la posición sentada ofrece una serie de ventajas al neurocirujano, el anestesiólogo y al electrofisiólogo. Materiales y métodos: Estudio retrospectivo de pacientes operados en dos instituciones de Tucumán, entre enero de 2015 y diciembre de 2019. Resultados: Se operaron un total de 119 pacientes en posición sentada por vía posterior. Conclusión: Se presentó la técnica de posición semisentada paso a paso y consejos específicos. Se ilustró la utilidad de la misma mediante la presentación de casos representativos

Introduction: In the last decades, the use of the sitting position has been abandoned due to 2 major complications: venous air embolism and intraoperative hypotension. However, it is undeniable that the sitting position offers a series of advantages to the neurosurgeon, the anesthesiologist and the electrophysiologist. Materials and methods: Retrospective study of patients operated at two institutions in Tucumán, between January 2015 and December 2019. Results: A total of 119 patients were operated in a sitting position and posterior approach. Conclusion: The sitting position technique was presented step by step in detail, with the key steps and a series of tricks. The usefulness of the position was illustrated by presenting representative cases

A probable fatal argon gas embolism during resection of a cutaneous biliary fistula - a case report / Provável embolia letal por gás argônio durante ressecção de fístula cutânea biliar - relato de caso

Abstract Background: The Argon Beam Coagulator (ABC) achieves hemostasis but has potential complications in the form of argon gas embolisms. Risk factors for embolisms have been identified and ABC manufacturers have developed guidelines for usage of the device to prevent embolism development. Case report: A 49 year-old male with history of recurrent cholangiocarcinoma status post resection presented for resection of a cutaneous biliary fistula. Shortly after initial use of the ABC, the patient underwent cardiac arrest. After resuscitation, air bubbles were observed in the left ventricle via Transesophageal Echo (TEE). Conclusion: Although argon embolisms have been described more commonly during laparoscopies, this patient most likely experienced an argon gas embolism during an open resection of a cutaneous biliary fistula via the biliary tract or vein with possible transpulmonary passage of the embolism. Consequently, a high degree of suspicion should be maintained for an argon gas embolism during ABC use in laparoscopic, open, and cutaneous surgeries.

Resumo Introdução: A Coagulação por Feixe de Argônio (CFA) promove hemostasia, mas pode levar a complicações na forma de embolia por gás argônio. Os fatores de risco para embolias foram identificados e os fabricantes de aparelhos de CFA desenvolveram diretrizes para o uso do dispositivo para impedir a ocorrência de embolia. Relato de caso: Paciente masculino de 49 anos com história de colangiocarcinoma recorrente pós-ressecção foi submetido à ressecção de fístula cutâneo-biliar. Logo após o início do uso do aparelho de CFA, o paciente apresentou parada cardíaca. Após o retorno da atividade cardíaca, a Eecocardiografia Transesofágica (ETE) detectou bolhas de ar no ventrículo esquerdo. Conclusões: Embora a embolia associada ao argônio seja mais frequentemente descrita durante laparoscopia, este paciente mais provavelmente apresentou embolia provocada pelo argônio durante cirurgia aberta para ressecção de fístula cutâneo-biliar, após o argônio ganhar acesso à circulação sanguínea através das vias biliares ou da veia biliar e possível passagem do êmbolo pela circulação pulmonar. Desta maneira, deve-se suspeitar de embolia por argônio, de forma judiciosa, durante o uso de CFA em procedimento cirúrgico laparoscópico, aberto ou cutâneo.

Embolia de dióxido de carbono / Carbon dioxide embolism

Carbon dioxide (CO) embolism is a complication of laparoscopic surgery that, although often does not have adverse sequelae, can be fatal. This is due to the fact that when CO is injected into the blood vessels, the bubbles impede blood flow, which clinically expresses as: decreased stroke volume, hypoxemia, sudden fall or sudden increase in expired CO, bradycardia, hypotension, dyspnea, cyanosis, arrhythmias, bilateral mydriasis, murmur in a mill wheel at auscultation and cardiovascular collapse with cardiorespiratory arrest. In this article we will present physiology of venous embolism, diagnosis, syntoms, treatment and prevention.

La embolia por dióxido de carbono (CO) es una complicación de la cirugía laparoscópica que, aunque a menudo no presenta secuelas adversas, puede ser fatal. Esto se debe a que al inyectar CO en los vasos sanguíneos las burbujas impiden el flujo de sangre, lo que clínicamente se expresa como: disminución del volumen sistólico, hipoxemia, caída repentina o aumento súbito del CO espirado, bradicardia, hipotensión, disnea, cianosis, arritmias, midriasis bilateral, soplo en rueda de molino a la auscultación y al colapso cardiovascular con paro cardiorrespiratorio. En este trabajo presentaremos fisiología del embolismo venoso, cuadro clínico, diagnóstico, tratamiento y formas de prevenir que ocurra este evento.

Cerebral Air Embolism: a Case Report with an Emphasis of its Pathophysiology and MRI Findings

Cerebral air embolism (CAE) is a rare complication of various medical procedures. It manifests with symptoms similar to those of typical acute cerebral infarction, however the treatment is quite different. We present a case of arterial CAE that was associated with a disconnected central venous catheter and appeared as punctate dark signal intensities with aliasing artifacts on the susceptibility-weighted filtered phase magnetic resonance image. The susceptibility-weighted filtered phase image can be helpful for diagnosing CAE and the magnetic resonance imaging reflects the pathophysiology of CAE.

Cerebral Air Embolism Observed on Susceptibility-Weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging

No abstract available.

Status epilepticus due to cerebral air embolism after the Valsalva maneuver

BACKGROUND: Cerebral air embolism is uncommon but potentially causes catastrophic events such as cardiac damage or even death. However, due to a low overall incidence, it may go undiagnosed. CASE REPORT: A 56-year-old man with a medical history of right upper lobectomy due to lung cancer showed changes in mental status after the Valsalva maneuver, followed by status epilepticus during admission. Brain and chest computed tomography showed cerebral air embolism and accidental pneumothorax in the right major fissure. After antiepileptic drug infusion and oxygen therapy, he recovered completely. CONCLUSION: Since cerebral air embolism may result in fatal outcomes, it should be suspected in patients with sudden neurological deterioration after routine medical procedures.

Cerebral air embolism treated using hyperbaric oxygen therapy

No abstract available.

Air Embolism during Upper Endoscopy: A Case Report

Air embolism is a rare complication of upper endoscopy and potentially causes life-threatening events. A 67-year-old man with a history of surgery of cardiac carcinoma and pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor underwent painless upper endoscopy because of tarry stools. During the procedure, air embolism developed, which caused decreased pulse oxygen saturation and delayed sedation recovery. He recovered with some weakness of the left upper limb in the intensive care unit without hyperbaric oxygen therapy. The etiology, clinical manifestations, and treatments of air embolism are discussed based on the literature reports. Although air embolism is uncommon in endoscopic examinations, the patients’ outcomes could be improved if clinicians are alert to this potential complication, and promptly start proper diagnostic and therapeutic measures.

Efficiency of Air Bubble Removal in Preparation of Low-Profile Angioplasty Balloon Catheter: Bench-Top Comparison of Six Methods / 신경중재치료의학

PURPOSE: Complete removal of air bubbles from balloons for neurovascular angioplasty is cumbersome. We compared the preparation difficulty, air removal efficiency, and air collection pattern of six different balloon catheter preparation methods to propose a better preparation method for both initial and second balloon uses, especially for small-profile angioplasty balloon catheters. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 18 neurovascular angioplasty balloon catheters with nominal diameters of 2 mm were prepared to test six different preparation methods: the instruction for use method (method A), simplified method using a syringe (method B) and four newly devised preparation methods using inflating devices (methods C–F). Serial radiographs were obtained while the balloons were gradually inflated. We measured the time for each preparation and the bubble number, analyzed their distribution in the balloon, and calculated the contrast filling ratio (contrast filling area/total balloon area) for initial and second ballooning. The whole process was repeated three times. RESULTS: The preparation time varied widely (11.5 seconds [method D] to 73.3 seconds [method A]). On initial inflation, the contrast filling ratio at 8 atm was the highest (100%) with methods A and F. On second inflation, the ratio was again highest with method A (99.5%), followed by method F (99.2%). Initial ballooning tended to show a uniform pattern of single bubble in the distal segment of the balloon; in contrast, second ballooning showed varying patterns in which the bubbles were multiple and randomly distributed. CONCLUSION: None of the six methods were able to completely exclude air bubbles from the balloon catheters including the second ballooning; however, the method of repeating aspiration with high-volume inflating device (method F) could be a practical option considering the simplicity and efficiency of preparation.

A novel use of the precordial Doppler for verification of central venous access / 대한마취과학회지

No abstract available.

Portograma aéreo y neumatosis intestinal como hallazgos incidentales en postoperatorio de cirugía abdominal / Hepatic portal venous gas and pneumatosis intestinalis as incidental findings in post-surgical abdominal surgery

Portograma aéreo o portograma de aire (PA), se define como la presencia de aire en el sistema venoso portomesentérico. Neumatosis intestinal (NI) se define como la presencia de aire en la pared intestinal, independiente de su causa o localización. La principal etiología de estas alteraciones es la isquemia intestinal aguda y en general, se consideran predictores de perforación intestinal y de mal pronóstico. Un pequeño grupo de pacientes con PA y/o NI pueden evolucionar sin complicaciones e incluso cursan sin manifestaciones clínicas. Presentamos el caso de una paciente con antecedente quirúrgico inmediato de gastrectomía total y reconstrucción en Y de Roux, que evidenció en tomografía computarizada (TC) de abdomen de control PA y NI, sin alteraciones clínicas significativas asociadas.

Hepatic portal venous gas (HPVG) is defined as the presence of air in the portal venous system. Pneumatosis intestinalis (PI) is defined as the presence of air within the bowel wall, regardless of its cause or location. Its main etiology is the intestinal ischemia and are generally considered predictors of intestinal perforation and wrong prognosis. A small group of patients with HPVG and PI may have a different clinical course, without complications and clinical manifestations. We report the case of a patient with immediate surgical history of total gastrectomy and Roux-en-Y reconstruction, which showed in computed tomography (CT) of the abdomen HPVG and PI, without associated clinically significant changes.

Prediction of air inflow during central venous catheter insertion: experimental study

OBJECTIVE: This study examined the incidence and amount of air inflow during central venous catheter (CVC) insertion. METHODS: This study was an experimental study aimed at designing an apparatus to implement blood vessel and blood flow in the human body. A 1.5-m long core tube with a Teflon tube, suction rubber tube, and polyvinyl chloride tube were made. This core tube was assumed to be the blood vessel of the human body. Blood was replaced with a saline solution. The saline solution was placed higher than the core tube and flowed into the inside of the tube by gravity. The CVC was injected 15-cm deep into the core tube. The air was collected through a 3-way valve into the upper tube. The experiments were carried out by differentiating the pressure in the tube, CVC insertion step, and diameter of the end of the catheter. The experiment was repeated 10 times under the same conditions. RESULTS: The amount of air decreased with increasing pressure applied to the tube. Air was not generated when the syringe needle was injected, and the amount of air increased with increasing size of the distal end catheter. CONCLUSION: To minimize the possibility of air embolism, it is necessary to close the distal end catheter at the earliest point as soon as possible.

Complicaciones hemodinámicas en una faco-vitrectomía: sospecha de una embolia aérea / Hemodynamic complications in a phaco-vitrectomy: suspicion of an air embolism

La embolia aérea es una complicación quirúrgica potencialmente fatal, que debe manejarse rápida y precozmente, por lo que su reconocimiento temprano es esencial. Al tener una amplia gama de posibles manifestaciones clínicas, la sospecha diagnóstica en base al procedimiento quirúrgico es fundamental. Presentamos el caso de una paciente de 69 años sometida a una faco-vitrectomía con anestesia general que sufrió un colapso hemodinámico brusco durante la fase de intercambio aire/fluido.(AU)

: Venous air embolism is a potentially fatal surgical complication which must be managed quickly, so early recognition is essential. Having a wide range of possible clinical manifestations, it requires a high index of suspicion based on the surgical procedure.We report a case of a 69-year-old woman undergoing general anesthesia for phaco-vitrectomy who suffered a sudden hemodynamic collapse during the air fluid exchange phase.(AU)

Presencia de gas en estructuras vasculares venosas encefálicas como hallazgo incidental en tomografía computada de encéfalo en ausencia de trauma / Presence of gas in encephalic vascular venous structures as an incidental finding in brain computed tomography in the absence of trauma

The presence of gas in the cerebral vascular venous structures is a finding that we infrequently see in our specialty. On many occasions we cannot pinpoint the cause, alarming the clinician, suggesting unnecessary exams, hospitalizations and controls. We performed a review of the literature and a retrospective study with the cases that we have reported in computed tomography of the brain in our radiology service, from January 2010 to July 2017.

La presencia de gas en las estructuras vasculares venosas cerebrales es un hallazgo que vemos infrecuentemente en nuestra especialidad. En muchas ocasiones no podemos precisar la causa, alarmando al clínico, sugiriendo exámenes, hospitalizaciones y controles innecesarios. Realizamos una revisión de la literatura y un trabajo retrospectivo con los casos que hemos reportado en tomografías computadas de encéfalo en nuestro servicio de radiología, desde enero del 2010 a julio del 2017.

Practice Pattern of Transthoracic Needle Biopsy: 2016 Survey in the Members of Korean Society of Thoracic Radiology

OBJECTIVE: To assess the current practice patterns of radiologists who perform transthoracic needle biopsy (TNB). MATERIALS AND METHODS: An email survey of 71 questions on TNB was sent to 240 members of the Korean Society of Thoracic Radiology. The answers to multiple-choice questions (n = 56) were analyzed. RESULTS: Of 60 respondents, 45% had 10 or more years of experience in chest radiology, and 70% had 5 or more years of experience in TNB. For the question on the most frequently used diagnostic method for lesions with high probability of being resectable-stage lung cancer, 70% of respondents answered that TNB is initially used, with or without bronchoscopy. In patients at high-risk of TNB-related complications, the proportion of the respondents who consistently declined TNB was only 5%. The number of rebiopsies was said to be increased; molecular analysis for an established target therapy (43.6%) and clinical trial of a new drug (28.2%) were the two most common reasons for it. The most popular needle type was the coaxial cutting needle (55%), and the popular guiding modality was conventional computed tomography (CT) (56.7%). In addition, 15% of respondents have encountered air embolism. CONCLUSION: Despite high variation in how TNB is being performed in Korea, some patterns were noted. It is common for patients with resectable-stage lung cancer to undergo TNB prior to surgery. Rebiopsy is now more common than before, with personalized medicine as the most important reason for it. The most popular type of needle is the coaxial system; the most popular modality for guidance is still CT.