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Venous air embolism: clinical and experimental considerations
1Department of Emergency Medicine, Naval Hospital, San Diego, CA 92134-5000.
Critical Care Medicine
|August 1, 1992
Summary
Venous air embolism is a rare complication of medical procedures. Management involves mechanical interventions and potentially hyperbaric oxygen therapy, though further research is needed.
Area of Science:
- Medical Science
- Cardiology
- Pulmonology
Background:
- Venous air embolism (VAE) is an uncommon but potentially serious complication.
- VAE can arise from various invasive diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the literature on venous air embolism.
- To emphasize the causes, pathophysiology, and management strategies for VAE.
Main Methods:
- Comprehensive literature search of MEDLINE (1970-1991) and manual citation review for earlier works.
- Inclusion of experimental data, case reports, case series, and clinical investigations.
Main Results:
- VAE can affect cardiovascular, pulmonary, and central nervous systems.
- Severity ranges from asymptomatic to cardiovascular collapse.
- Mechanical interventions like positioning and air withdrawal are primary treatments.
Conclusions:
- VAE is an infrequent complication of invasive procedures.
- Therapeutic options include mechanical measures and potentially hyperbaric oxygen.
- Further randomized controlled trials are necessary to confirm the efficacy of hyperbaric oxygen therapy.