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Cerebral air embolism in interventional pulmonology
Qin Cao1, Feng-Lian Song1, Dan Liu2
1Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichua, China.
Frontiers in Medicine
|April 8, 2026
Summary
Cerebral air embolism (CAE) is a rare but serious risk in interventional pulmonology. This review synthesizes 53 cases to propose a new framework for preventing and managing CAE, enhancing patient safety.
Area of Science:
- Pulmonology
- Neurology
- Medical Safety
Background:
- Interventional pulmonology utilizes minimally invasive techniques for diagnosing and treating respiratory diseases.
- Cerebral air embolism (CAE) is a rare (0.02-0.4%) but potentially fatal complication of interventional pulmonology, with mortality rates of 20-30%.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review existing literature on cerebral air embolism (CAE) associated with interventional pulmonology.
- To integrate evidence on CAE epidemiology, pathophysiology, clinical manifestations, and treatment.
- To propose an evidence-based, procedure-specific preventive framework for CAE in interventional pulmonology.
Main Methods:
- Systematic literature search of multiple databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, etc.) from January 2001 to December 2024.
- Inclusion of human case reports of cerebral air embolism induced by interventional pulmonology.
- Analysis and synthesis of 53 reported cases of cerebral venous and arterial air embolism.
Main Results:
- A comprehensive review of 53 cases of cerebral air embolism linked to interventional pulmonology procedures.
- Detailed integration of epidemiological data, pathophysiological mechanisms, clinical presentations, and treatment strategies for CAE.
- Identification of specific procedural steps contributing to CAE risk.
Conclusions:
- A novel, evidence-based, and procedure-specific preventive framework for cerebral air embolism is proposed.
- Implementation of this framework is crucial for anticipating risks, guiding timely diagnosis and intervention.
- Adoption of the proposed framework is essential for improving patient safety in interventional pulmonology.
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