Fatal Venous Cerebral Air Embolism Secondary to a Disconnected Central Venous Catheter

Clinicoradiological Characteristics of Cerebral Air Embolism

“…In patient 2, multiple serpiginous air densities, a finding compatible with venous CAE [7] , were also observed along the frontal cortical sulci ( fig. 1 B).…”

“…Since the first description of a patient with cerebral air embolism (CAE), seen on brain computed tomography (CT), due to an esophagoatrial fistula [1] , dozens of similar patients have been described [2][3][4][5][6][7] . However, the clinical and radiological characteristics of CAE, including infarct patterns on diffusion-weighted image (DWI) [4,5] , have rarely been reported.…”

Tangential Gunshot Wound to the Chest Causing Venous Air Embolism: A Case Report and Review

“…If this happens, it is called a paradoxical air embolism. This occurs when gas bubbles shunt at the pulmonary capillary level from the venous to the arterial side, or when an intracardiac shunt exists, as in a patent foramen ovale (3,6,7). Regardless of the mechanism, this may have catastrophic consequences, because as little as 0.5-1 mL of air injected into a pulmonary vein can be fatal due to coronary artery air embolism and subsequent cardiac ischemia (8).…”

“…Computed tomography allows for direct visualization of air within the heart, vascular system, and brain, even if no intravenous contrast is used (6,(13)(14)(15)(16). There are several case reports in the literature of unintentional air injection during intravenous contrast administration for CT (13)(14)(15)17).…”

Consensus paper on peri-interventional and postinterventional stroke during cardiac catheter procedures

“…Bei einer zerebralen Luftembolie kommt es zu akuten neurologischen Symptomen, die von einer thrombembolischen zerebrovaskulären Komplikation häufig nicht zu unterscheiden sind. Beweisend ist der Nachweis typischer Luftblasen in den Hirngefäßen mittels der zerebralen Computertomographie (CCT; [10]). …”