Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Massive air embolism: a case report

G S Adhikary1, S R Massey

  • 1Department of Anesthesiology, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor 48109-0048, USA.

Journal of Clinical Anesthesia
|April 4, 1998
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Oesophageal perforation following perioperative transoesophageal echocardiography.

British journal of anaesthesia·2000
Same author

Peri-operative steroid supplementation.

Anaesthesia·1999
Same author

Bags of air.

Journal of clinical anesthesia·1998
Same author

A pressurized rapid infusion system at no added cost.

Journal of clinical anesthesia·1996
Same author

The patient-physician relationship and the allocation of scarce resources: a law and economics approach.

Kennedy Institute of Ethics journal·1994
Same author

Surgical emphysema and laparoscopic surgery.

Anaesthesia·1994

A case of massive air embolism during pressurized fluid infusion highlights risks from air in manufacturer-filled bags. Anesthesiologists must meticulously de-air bags, and manufacturers should provide air-free solutions to reduce this danger.

Area of Science:

  • Anesthesiology
  • Patient Safety
  • Medical Devices

Background:

  • Pressurized infusion systems are common in clinical practice.
  • Fluid bags from manufacturers can contain significant volumes of air.
  • Air embolism is a rare but serious complication of fluid infusion.

Observation:

  • A patient experienced massive air embolism during fluid infusion under pressure.
  • The event was linked to air present in the manufacturer-supplied fluid bag.
  • The pressurized infusion system facilitated the rapid introduction of air into the patient's circulation.

Findings:

  • Air in fluid infusion bags poses a substantial risk of air embolism, especially with pressurized systems.
  • Inadequate de-airing of infusion bags before use is a critical contributing factor.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Manufacturer-related air contamination in fluid products is a preventable source of risk.

    • Implications:

    • Anesthesiologists must exercise extreme diligence in de-airing all intravenous fluid bags prior to administration.
    • There is a need for improved quality control by manufacturers to supply air-free crystalloid solutions.
    • Implementing these measures can significantly decrease the incidence of infusion-related air embolism.