We report the case of an 11-year-old girl operated on for a severe left thoracolumbar scoliosis. Pedicular screwinsertion and rod positioning was technically successful, but five days later, for signs of an early infection, the wound revised and unexpectedly the patient died during surgery. Autopsy recognized a diffuse cerebral cortical venous air embolism as the cause of death and excluded pulmonary embolism and associated cardiac defects. This is the first and unique case describing a fatal paradoxical air venous cerebral embolism in a pediatric patient undergone spine surgery: the possible mechanism involving azygos and jugular veins systems is discussed.
11 YEAR-OLD GIRL UNDERGOING SCOLIOSIS SURGERY
MISCUSI, MASSIMO
2012
Abstract
We report the case of an 11-year-old girl operated on for a severe left thoracolumbar scoliosis. Pedicular screwinsertion and rod positioning was technically successful, but five days later, for signs of an early infection, the wound revised and unexpectedly the patient died during surgery. Autopsy recognized a diffuse cerebral cortical venous air embolism as the cause of death and excluded pulmonary embolism and associated cardiac defects. This is the first and unique case describing a fatal paradoxical air venous cerebral embolism in a pediatric patient undergone spine surgery: the possible mechanism involving azygos and jugular veins systems is discussed.I documenti in SFERA sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
