Air embolism during anesthesia in the beach chair position for shoulder surgery: A case report

ABSTRACT

A 60-year-old man was scheduled for elective right shoulder surgery. The patient was placed in the beach chair position. A venous air embolism was suspected because of a sudden decrease in the end-tidal carbon dioxide concentration, hypoxemia, tachycardia, and hypotension 5 mins after a stab incision in the surgical site. We inserted a central venous access catheter and provided hemodynamic support and cardiopulmonary resuscitation, but the patient died. We present this case to make surgeons and anesthesiologists aware of the possibility of air embolism during shoulder surgery in the beach chair position.