Fatal air embolism following local anaesthetisation: does needle size matter?

A 76--year--old male cigarette smoker presented with a 2-week history of cough and haemoptysis. Chest CT on admission revealed multiple new lung nodules concerning for malignancy. CT--guided biopsy of the nodule in left lower lobe was attempted in prone oblique position for tissue diagnosis. Local anaesthetic (lidocaine) was administered using a 25--gauge (1.5-inch) needle to anaesthetise the skin and subcutaneous tissue. This was followed by insertion of a 25-gauge (3.5-inch) Whitacre needle to anaesthetise deeper tissues and parietal pleura. Due to patient's coughing and proximity of the nodule to the diaphragm, the circumstances were judged to be too risky for a needle biopsy. Therefore, it was decided to biopsy another nodule in the left lung that was visible on the same CT section. During this portion of the procedure, the patient became hypoxic and developed pulseless electrical activity arrest. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation was unsuccessful and the efforts ceased after 45 min. Subsequent review of CT scan revealed air in the left ventricle.