Venous air embolism may occur when the surgical ®eld is above the level of the heart. We present a case of venous air embolism in a patient undergoing percutaneous nephrolithotripsy in the prone position and presenting with blindness and neurological de®cits 8 h later. The clinical diagnosis of paradoxical air embolism was con®rmed by early single-photon emission tomography (SPET), whereas magnetic resonance imaging including diffusion-weighted imaging (DWMRI) was diagnostic only 30 h later. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy was successful. In this case, early DW-MRI scan was inconclusive, but a SPET study of the brain appeared to be useful in con®rming the clinical diagnosis. Early hyperbaric oxygen was demonstrated to be a successful therapy.
Air embolism: diagnosis with single-photon emission tomography and successful hyperbaric oxygen therapy
GIGANTI, Melchiore;
2002
Abstract
Venous air embolism may occur when the surgical ®eld is above the level of the heart. We present a case of venous air embolism in a patient undergoing percutaneous nephrolithotripsy in the prone position and presenting with blindness and neurological de®cits 8 h later. The clinical diagnosis of paradoxical air embolism was con®rmed by early single-photon emission tomography (SPET), whereas magnetic resonance imaging including diffusion-weighted imaging (DWMRI) was diagnostic only 30 h later. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy was successful. In this case, early DW-MRI scan was inconclusive, but a SPET study of the brain appeared to be useful in con®rming the clinical diagnosis. Early hyperbaric oxygen was demonstrated to be a successful therapy.I documenti in SFERA sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
