1/7. air embolism during anaesthesia for arthography in a child.An infant aged 5 months, weighing 6 kg and suffering from congenital dislocation of the hip joint, was subjected to air arthrography of the right hip joint under general anaesthesia. air embolism occurred following injection of air into the joint. The clinical management is described. resuscitation was successfully accomplished and the patient was discharged from hospital without untoward sequelae.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = anaesthesia (Clic here for more details about this article) |
2/7. Neurological deficit following spinal anaesthesia: MRI and CT evidence of spinal cord gas embolism.A 62-year-old diabetic woman developed permanent neurological deficits in the legs following spinal anaesthesia. MRI showed oedema in the spinal cord and a small intramedullary focus of signal void at the T10 level, with negative density at CT. Intramedullary gas bubbles have not been reported previously among the possible neurological complications of spinal anaesthesia; a combined ischaemic/embolic mechanism is hypothesised.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1.2keywords = anaesthesia (Clic here for more details about this article) |
3/7. air embolism during anaesthesia for shoulder arthroscopy.We report a case of venous air embolism during an elective shoulder arthroscopy in which air was used as a joint distending agent. Venous air embolism was diagnosed by the sudden decrease in the end-tidal carbon dioxide concentration. The patient suffered no serious complications of venous air embolism and made a full recovery. We present this case to make surgeons and anaesthetists aware of the possibility of gas/air embolism during elective arthroscopy, when gas/air is used to distend the joint. This case also illustrates that the end-tidal carbon dioxide monitor, which is part of the standard anaesthetic monitoring system, is very sensitive in detecting venous air embolism.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.8keywords = anaesthesia (Clic here for more details about this article) |
4/7. Cardiac arrest associated with use of an argon beam coagulator during laparoscopic cholecystectomy.We describe a cardiac arrest during use of an argon beam coagulation (ABC) system in an 82-yr-old woman having laparoscopic cholecystectomy under general and epidural anaesthesia. Intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) was controlled to less than 12 mm Hg during a carbon dioxide gas pneumoperitoneum and at first the operation was uneventful. When the ABC system (gas flow 6 litre min(-1)) was used to control local bleeding in the liver bed abdominal pressure increased rapidly to over 20 mm Hg and, 1 min later, the end-tidal carbon dioxide decreased to zero, followed by bradycardia and cardiac arrest. At once, an emergency laparotomy was performed and resuscitation begun. A mill-wheel murmur was heard on auscultation, leading to suspicion of argon gas embolism. Fortunately, recovery was completed with no neurological deficit. Anaesthesiologists should consider showed that argon gas embolism can occur with the ABC system during laparoscopic surgery.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.2keywords = anaesthesia (Clic here for more details about this article) |
5/7. Precordial Doppler diagnosis of haemodynamically compromising air embolism during caesarean section.This is a report of a 39-year-old parturient who had a haemodynamically compromising venous air embolism during a repeat Caesarean section under lumbar epidural anaesthesia. The embolism occurred immediately after surgical incision during surgery in the superficial subcutaneous tissues. The diagnosis was made using intraoperative precordial ultrasonic Doppler monitoring which allowed early and successful treatment.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.2keywords = anaesthesia (Clic here for more details about this article) |
6/7. air in the cavernous sinus following scalp vein cannulation.A 7-month-old infant was found to have air in the cavernous sinus during a CT scan under general anaesthesia. An anterior scalp vein had been used to administer atracurium and contrast. The anatomy and precautions to prevent air embolism during scalp vein cannulation are discussed.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.2keywords = anaesthesia (Clic here for more details about this article) |
7/7. carbon dioxide embolism following diagnostic hysteroscopy.A 50-year-old woman ASA 2 underwent carbon dioxide hysteroscopy under general anaesthesia. Monitoring showed a sudden and rapid fall in end-tidal carbon dioxide followed by oxygen desaturation. She became pulseless and cyanosed. resuscitation with oxygen, intravenous adrenaline and head-down tilt restored her to haemodynamic stability. Hyperbaric therapy was also administered as air embolism could not be excluded.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.2keywords = anaesthesia (Clic here for more details about this article) |