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Updated: Jul 6, 2026

Induction of Cerebral Arterial Gas Embolism in Rat
Published on: October 18, 2024
Spontaneous cerebral air embolism associated with remote lung surgery
Robert Gardner1, Leo H Wang, Andria Ford
1Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO, USA.
Introduction:
Airembolism without obvious trauma or surgery is rare.
Methods:
Case report.
Results:
Four years after resection of a non-small cell lung cancer, a 57-year-old man presented with recurrent episodes of sudden onset neurological deficits. Head computer tomographic (CT) scans suggested air embolism, and further investigations showed a potential anastomosis between a pulmonary air cavity and a pulmonary vein. He was treated surgically by debridement of the bronchovascular bundles surrounding the air cavity. The patient had no further neurologic deficits during 10 months of post-surgical follow-up.
Conclusion:
In the absence of trauma, sinus disease, recent surgery, or vascular procedures, the presence of air in the brain is unusual, and pulmonary sources of air embolism should be considered.
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Description
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