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Ultrasound J 2022 May 18;14(1):19. Epub 2022 May 18.

Cuidado Crítico, Hospital Universitario Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá D.C, Colombia.

Venous air embolism (VAE) is an uncommon event consistent in the entrainment of air from any communication between the environment and the venous vasculature that could occur during central venous catheter (CVC) manipulation, and might trigger circulatory shock within minutes depending on the amount of air embolized. We present a case of a critical care patient who presented sudden clinical hemodynamic deterioration after the removal of central venous catheter. Hemodynamic evaluation with point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) showed bubbles in both right and left heart cavities wherewith air embolism facilitated by heart septal defect was suspected. Read More

Semin Immunol 2022 May 12:101604. Epub 2022 May 12.

Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.

The complex molecular and cellular biological systems that maintain host homeostasis undergo continuous crosstalk. Complement, a component of innate immunity, is one such system. Initially regarded as a system to protect the host from infection, complement has more recently been shown to have numerous other functions, including involvement in embryonic development, tissue modeling, and repair. Read More

Int J Environ Res Public Health 2022 Apr 29;19(9). Epub 2022 Apr 29.

Environmental, Occupational, Aging (Integrative) Physiology Laboratory, Haute Ecole Bruxelles-Brabant (HE2B), 1180 Brussels, Belgium.

Despite evolution in decompression algorithms, decompression illness is still an issue nowadays. Reducing vascular gas emboli (VGE) production or preserving endothelial function by other means such as diving preconditioning is of great interest. Several methods have been tried, either mechanical, cardiovascular, desaturation aimed or biochemical, with encouraging results. Read More

Curr Probl Cardiol 2022 May 8:101248. Epub 2022 May 8.

Pulmonary Circulation Clinic, Hospital General de Mexico "Dr. Eduardo Liceaga", 06720 Mexico City, Mexico.

Among the different types of central venous access, two are mainly recognized, the internal jugular and the subclavian. The most common complications of these invasive procedures are hematoma, vascular injury, pneumothorax, and hemothorax. This review presents two atypical complications in the central vascular approach in a patient seen in the emergency department. Read More

Indian J Crit Care Med 2022 Mar;26(3):384-386

Department of Radiology, Cukurova University Faculty of Medicine, Adana, Turkey.

Central venous catheterization interventions are used in various clinics for diagnostic and treatment purposes. Establishing vascular access is a difficult and critical step, especially in critically ill pediatric patients. Complications include ventricular arrhythmia, air embolism, carotid artery puncture, cardiac tamponade, pneumothorax, hemothorax, artery-vein laceration, thoracic duct injury, and catheter malposition can be observed in patients after central venous catheterization interventions. Read More

Neurosurgery 2022 May 6. Epub 2022 May 6.

Department of Neurosurgery, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.

Craniopagus conjoined twins are extremely rare, reported 1 in 2.5 million live births. To date, 62 separation attempts in 69 well-documented cases of craniopagus twins have been made. Read More

Chest 2022 Apr;161(4):e225-e231

Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine, Albany Medical College, Albany, NY.

Case Presentation: A 24-year-old White man presented with 1-day complaints of progressive shortness of breath and fever. He recently underwent an open reduction and internal fixation of a left midshaft femur fracture from a skiing accident 4 days ago. He denied chest pain, skin rashes, hemoptysis, hematemesis, melena, or surgical site bleeding. Read More

J Neurosurg Anesthesiol 2022 Apr 8. Epub 2022 Apr 8.

Fairview/MHealth, Minneapolis, MN.

Front Immunol 2022 15;13:839632. Epub 2022 Mar 15.

Research Laboratory, Nordland Hospital Trust, Bodø, Norway.

Introduction: Air embolism may complicate invasive medical procedures. Bubbles trigger complement C3-mediated cytokine release, coagulation, and platelet activation in human whole blood. Since these findings have not been verified , we aimed to examine the effects of air embolism in pigs on thromboinflammation. Read More

Wilderness Environ Med 2022 Mar 31. Epub 2022 Mar 31.

Division of Hematology-Medical Oncology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon. Electronic address:

Introduction: Long-distance travel is assumed to be a risk factor for venous thromboembolism (VTE). However, the available data have not clearly demonstrated the strength of this relationship, nor have they shown evidence for the role of thromboprophylaxis.

Methods: We performed a systematic review of the literature. Read More

World Neurosurg 2022 Apr 1. Epub 2022 Apr 1.

Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.

Background: At our institution, patients undergoing neurosurgical procedures in the posterior cranial fossa are placed either in the semisitting or in the supine position. The major risk of the semisitting positioning is a venous air embolism (VAE), which may, however, also occur in the supine position.

Methods: In a prospective single-center study with 137 patients, we evaluated the occurrence of VAEs in patients in the supine and in the semisitting position during the period from January 2014 until April 2015. Read More

BMJ Case Rep 2022 03 30;15(3). Epub 2022 Mar 30.

404 Military Hospital of Larissa, Larissa, Greece.

J Vasc Surg Venous Lymphat Disord 2022 Feb 22. Epub 2022 Feb 22.

Division of Vascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA.

Objective: Incompetent perforator veins (IPVs) contribute to venous pathology and are surgically treated based on hemodynamic measurements, size, and the CEAP (Clinical, Etiological, Anatomical, and Pathophysiological) classification. The objective of the present study was to systematically review and synthesize the current literature regarding the surgical management of IPVs, including open ligation, subfascial endoscopic perforator surgery (SEPS), endovascular laser ablation, ultrasound-guided sclerotherapy, and radiofrequency ablation.

Methods: English-language literature reported before November 2021 was reviewed from the PubMed, EMBASE, and MEDLINE databases for primary studies reporting safety and efficacy outcomes in the surgical treatment of IPVs. Read More

Trauma Case Rep 2022 Apr 31;38:100608. Epub 2022 Jan 31.

University of Nevada, Reno - School of Medicine, 1664 N Virginia St, Reno, NV 89557, United States of America.

•This case is significant for extensive systemic vascular air emboli in the right ventricle (visually estimated at 30 ml), pulmonary artery, inferior vena cava, hepatic veins, and iliac vein, which is a rare and novel consequence of fatal basal skull fracture.•Collections of air in the right ventricle and left external iliac vein were visible on imaging prior to contrast administration, making an iatrogenic etiology unlikely. Read More

Cureus 2022 Jan 4;14(1):e20933. Epub 2022 Jan 4.

Community Medicine Management, Shimane University Faculty of Medicine, Izumo, JPN.

Intracardiac microbubbles may occur inadvertently during a cardiac procedure, which are typically reported in patients with central venous catheters or cardiac prosthetic valves. Here, we report a case wherein a microbubble filling in the bilateral atriums and ventricles was revealed during echocardiography despite the patient not having the aforementioned risks. An 87-year-old man with hypertension was admitted with a diagnosis of heart failure caused by a giant hiatal hernia. Read More

Eur J Appl Physiol 2022 Apr 10;122(4):993-1005. Epub 2022 Feb 10.

Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden.

Purpose: It is speculated that diving might be harmful to the nervous system. The aim of this study was to determine if established markers of neuronal injury were increased in the blood after diving.

Methods: Thirty-two divers performed two identical dives, 48 h apart, in a water-filled hyperbaric chamber pressurized to an equivalent of 42 m of sea water for 10 min. Read More

Curr Med Imaging 2022 Feb 9. Epub 2022 Feb 9.

Department of Radiology, Eskişehir Osmangazi University, Faculty of Medicine, Eskişehir, TURKEY.

Purpose: We aimed to present a case who developed intestinal ischemia and associated perforation and abscess due to superior mesenteric vein (SMV) thrombosis caused by post-COVID-19 syndrome and discuss the preoperative computed tomography (CT) imaging findings used in diagnosis.

Case Report: A 58-year-old patient presented to our clinic with a complaint of acute abdominal pain. His CT examination revealed thrombosis in SMV, congestion in the mesenteric venous structures, contamination in the mesentery and thickening and dilatation of the jejunal loops due to ischemia. Read More

J Healthc Eng 2022;2022:9475522. Epub 2022 Jan 30.

Department of Urology, Baoding First Central Hospital, Baoding 071000, Hebei, China.

In this paper, clinical manifestations of inferior vena cava injuries and the progress of emergency treatment are presented. Inferior vena cava (IVC) is the large vein returning venous blood from the lower limbs and pelvic and abdominal cavities to the right atrium of the heart. The clinical manifestations of IVC injuries include shock, progressive hemorrhage, air embolism, retroperitoneal hematoma, active bleeding, and hemoperitoneum. Read More

Indian J Radiol Imaging 2021 Oct 10;31(4):805-808. Epub 2022 Jan 10.

Department of Radiology, Clinica Alemana de Santiago, School of Medicine, Clinica Alemana - Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile.

 This article provides evidence that detection of venous air microbubbles (VAMB) in chest computed tomography angiography (CTA) can be an indicator for "normalization of deviance" phenomenon in CT.  Institutional review board-approved retrospective study, with waiver for informed consent. Contrast-enhanced chest CT performed during 6 months were reviewed for presence of VAMB in venous segments visible in chest CT (subclavian, brachiocephalic vein, superior vena cava) and cardiac chambers. Read More

Environ Health 2022 01 27;21(1):21. Epub 2022 Jan 27.

Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, University of Rome "La Sapienza", Rome, Italy.

Background: Venous thromboembolisms (VTE) are one of the most frequent cause among the cardiovascular diseases. Despite the association between long-term exposure to air pollution and cardiovascular outcomes have been widely explored in epidemiological literature, little is known about the air pollution related effects on VTE. We aimed to evaluate this association in a large administrative cohort in 15 years of follow-up. Read More

World J Clin Cases 2022 Jan;10(1):371-380

Department of Anesthesiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan Province, China.

Background: Air embolism is a very rare, yet serious and potentially fatal complication of digestive endoscopic treatment. Air embolism is the result of air directly entering the arteries or veins. However, to recognize neurological dysfunction under sedation can be difficult. Read More

Aerosp Med Hum Perform 2022 Jan;93(1):54-57

This study aimed to evaluate whether a short familiarization session is sufficient for individuals with no prior experience of sonography to both reliably and consistently evaluate the prevalence of venous gas emboli (VGE) from precordial ultrasonic videos. A total of 10 adults with no prior experience of sonography were introduced to the Eftedal-Brubakk 6-grade scale and were shown 6 video sequences, each of a maximum of 10 heartbeats, representing each grading level. Thereafter, they independently evaluated the prevalence of VGE in 70 ultrasonic videos before and after a 14-d interval (test-retest; intra-rater), with these being compared to an experienced sonographer's grading (inter-rater). Read More

Aerosp Med Hum Perform 2022 Jan;93(1):46-49

Hypobaric decompression sickness remains a problem during high-altitude aviation. The prevalence of venous gas emboli (VGE) serves as a marker of decompression stress and has been used as a method in evaluating the safety/risk associated with aviation profiles and/or gas mixtures. However, information is lacking concerning the variability of VGE formation when exposed to the same hypobaric profile on different occasions. Read More

Eur J Case Rep Intern Med 2021 13;8(12):003040. Epub 2021 Dec 13.

University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, United Kingdom.

Introduction: Venous air embolism is rarely seen, can be fatal and is associated mostly with large central venous catheters and mechanical ventilation. Some cases due to peripheral intravenous access have also been reported.

Case Description: We present a case of intracranial venous air embolism most likely secondary to peripheral cannulation. Read More

Surg Endosc 2022 04 3;36(4):2712-2720. Epub 2022 Jan 3.

Center for Surgical Teaching and Research (CERC), Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France.

Background: To improve the laparoscopic surgical dissection, the aim of the study was to assess the safety of burst of high-pressure CO using a 5-mm laparoscopic pneumodissector (PD) operating at different flow rates and for different operating times regarding the risk of gas embolism (GE) in a swine model.

Methods: The first step was to define the settings use of the PD device ensuring no GE. Successive procedures were conducted by laparotomy: cholecystectomy, the PD was placed 10 mm deep in the liver and the PD was directly introduced into the lumen of the inferior vena cava. Read More

Medicine (Baltimore) 2021 Dec;100(52):e28389

Department of Radiology, University of Inha College of Medicine, 27 Inhang-ro, Jung-gu, Incheon, Korea.

Rationale: Cerebral air embolism from portal venous gas rarely occurs due to invasive procedures (e.g., endoscopic procedures, liver biopsy, or percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage) that disrupt the gastrointestinal or hepatobiliary structures. Read More

J Clin Med 2021 Dec 9;10(24). Epub 2021 Dec 9.

Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA.

Background: Critically ill patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and kidney dysfunction often require tunneled hemodialysis catheter (TDC) placement for kidney replacement therapy, typically under fluoroscopic guidance to minimize catheter-related complications. This entails transportation of patients outside the intensive care unit to a fluoroscopy suite, which may potentially expose many healthcare providers to COVID-19. One potential strategy to mitigate the risk of viral transmission is to insert TDCs at the bedside, using ultrasound and anatomic landmarks only, without fluoroscopic guidance. Read More

World J Clin Cases 2021 Nov;9(33):10233-10237

Department of Respiratory, Kunming Municipal First People's Hospital, Kunming 650000, Yunnan Province, China.

Background: Fiberoptic bronchoscopy has been widely used in the diagnosis and treatment of respiratory diseases. Numerous major and minor complications have been reported following this procedure. The incidence of major postoperative complications is approximately 0. Read More

A A Pract 2021 Dec 13;15(12):e01534. Epub 2021 Dec 13.

From the Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, California.

Transesophageal echocardiography can be useful not only in diagnosing venous air embolism but also in guiding aspiration of air from the pulmonary artery. A 59-year-old man with a history of cirrhosis underwent combined kidney and liver transplantations. He developed acute hypotension after the native liver was removed due to a massive venous air embolism via a retained transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt catheter. Read More

Eur J Appl Physiol 2022 Feb 28;122(2):515-522. Epub 2021 Nov 28.

Environmental, Occupational, Ageing (Integrative) Physiology Laboratory, Haute Ecole Bruxelles-Brabant (HE2B), Avenue Schaller, 91, 1160, Brussels, Belgium.

Purpose: Data regarding decompression stress after deep closed-circuit rebreather (CCR) dives are scarce. This study aimed to monitor technical divers during a wreck diving expedition and provide an insight in venous gas emboli (VGE) dynamics.

Methods: Diving practices of ten technical divers were observed. Read More