Cerebral air embolism after central venous catheterization
Joji Inamasu, MD
, Yoshiki Nakamura, MD
, Ryoichi Saito, MD
,, Kim Shiei, MD
Department of Neurosurgery
Department of General Surgery, National Tokyo Medical Center, Tokyo, Japan
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Fig. 1
(A) Brain CT with air bubbles, mainly on the right parietal lobe (thin arrow), indicating cerebral air embolism lodging in the periphery of the middle cerebral arteries. (B) MRI (proton-intensity image) showing cerebral infarction on the right motor cortex (thick arrow).
—Insertion of a central venous (CV) catheter is associated with various complications, although it is a routine procedure in the emergency department and intensive care unit. We report a case of cerebral air embolism during CV catheterization, a rare but potentially fatal complication. Emergency physicians should be familiar with the knowledge on its pathophysiology, presenting symptoms, diagnosis of choice, and treatment.
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© 2001 W.B. Saunders Company. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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