Survey of literature related to the problems of gas embolism in human body

Gas emboli syndromes occur in many different settings, and their medical significance ranges from being life-threatening emergencies to being totally innocuous. We discuss venous gas embolization in Part I of this review, and it can result from a variety of traumatic, diagnostic, therapeutic, and surgical interventions. The pathophysiological consequences depend on where the gas bubbles impact and obstruct the circulation—by creating an “air lock” in the right ventricle, by obstruction of pulmonary arterioles, and sometimes with passage into the arterial circulation (so called paradoxical emboli). Various monitoring techniques are available and are known to be useful in high-risk patients. Nevertheless, the diagnosis can be difficult to establish. Myriad and generally nonspecific clinical manifestations may be present; the patient may often exhibit signs and symptoms suggestive of other acute cardiopulmonary or central nervous system events. The classically described “mill-wheel murmur” is actually a rare...

Gas Embolism: Part I. Venous Gas Emboli

Air embolism is not an uncommon complication when diagnostic or therapeutic measures using air under pressure are employed. Air embolism also occurs when the air is not under pressure. In either instance there must be a break in the continuity of a vessel, either artery or vein, and the open vessel must contain blood under less pressure than the surrounding air. Of particular interest and concern to the obstetrician are those situations involving the female genital tract that may give rise to air embolism during or shortly following pregnancy. Forbes 1 reported the case of a woman dying suddenly at three months pregnancy apparently after a self-administered douche. Autopsy revealed the right side of the heart and the pulmonary artery to be filled with frothy blood. Deadman 2 reported four cases of fatal air embolism in women anywhere from three and one-half to seven months pregnant. In three of these

A. B. Brown

Papers

Air embolism during labour.