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Updated: Jan 30, 2026

Induction of Cerebral Arterial Gas Embolism in Rat
Published on: October 18, 2024
Massive gas embolism in a child
Murilo Sérgio Valente-Aguiar1,2, Ricardo Jorge Dinis-Oliveira3,4,5
1Department of Public Health and Forensic Sciences, and Medical Education, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Alameda Prof. Hernâni Monteiro, Porto, Portugal. up201707626@med.up.pt.
Abstract:
A 16-month-old girl who was hospitalized with pneumonia and treated with antibiotics died after the nurse erroneously connected her intravenous left forearm catheter to the oxygen supply. Autopsy revealed an impressive gas embolism in the left subclavian and brachiocephalic veins, reduced crepitus and enlarged lung volume, and congestion of the meningeal vessels with some areas showing small air bubbles. Dilation of the right atrium and the right ventricle with efflux under pressure of large amounts of air bubbles were observed. The coronary arteries and veins were filled with air bubbles intercalated with segments containing blood. After exclusion of putrefactive artifacts as the source of such a large amount of gas in the body death was considered to be due to a massive air embolism. While embolisms are well recognized in adults, these cases are only infrequently encountered in forensic practice in younger decedents.
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