Paradoxical embolism following intralesional sclerotherapy for cervical venous malformation

We present a rare case of a 47-year-old woman admitted to our maxillofacial surgery department for a large cervicofacial venous malformation. The patient underwent fluoroscopy-guided intralesional foam sclerotherapy with sodium tetradecyl sulfate and air under general anaesthesia. On awakening, after 48 h of endotracheal intubation, she displayed dysarthria and dysmetria. Her brain CT scan showed no haemorrhagic lesions. A chest CT scan ruled out a potential pulmonary embolism. Suspicion for a paradoxical embolism was high and echocardiography confirmed a patent foramen ovale, which acted as a passageway for the embolus. Transcranial ultrasound showed mild right-to-left heart shunting. The dysarthria and dysmetria disappeared gradually over 48 h, thus confirming a reversible ischaemic neurological deficit. A brain MRI performed 1 week later showed no ischaemic or haemorrhagic lesions. The patient recovered completely. She was advised cardiosurgical follow-up and discharged.