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Air embolism

MedGen UID:
41749
•Concept ID:
C0013926
•
Pathologic Function
Synonyms: Air Embolism; Air Embolisms; Embolism, Air; Embolism, Gas; Embolisms, Air; Embolisms, Gas; Gas Embolism; Gas Embolisms
SNOMED CT: Air embolism (271376002); Air embolus (36207003)

Definition

The presence of bubbles of air in the vascular system; occurrence is related to the entry of air into the venous circulation following trauma or surgery. [from NCI]

Term Hierarchy

CClinical test,  RResearch test,  OOMIM,  GGeneReviews,  VClinVar  
  • CROGVAir embolism

Professional guidelines

PubMed

Air embolism: diagnosis and management.
Malik N, Claus PL, Illman JE, Kligerman SJ, Moynagh MR, Levin DL, Woodrum DA, Arani A, Arunachalam SP, Araoz PA
Future Cardiol 2017 Jul;13(4):365-378. Epub 2017 Jun 23 doi: 10.2217/fca-2017-0015. PMID: 28644058
Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention of Hemodialysis Emergencies.
Saha M, Allon M
Clin J Am Soc Nephrol 2017 Feb 7;12(2):357-369. Epub 2016 Nov 9 doi: 10.2215/CJN.05260516. PMID: 27831511Free PMC Article
Diagnosis and treatment of vascular air embolism.
Mirski MA, Lele AV, Fitzsimmons L, Toung TJ
Anesthesiology 2007 Jan;106(1):164-77. doi: 10.1097/00000542-200701000-00026. PMID: 17197859

Recent clinical studies

Etiology

Complications of Cranioplasty.
Sahoo NK, Tomar K, Thakral A, Rangan NM
J Craniofac Surg 2018 Jul;29(5):1344-1348. doi: 10.1097/SCS.0000000000004478. PMID: 29533253
Decompression illness.
Vann RD, Butler FK, Mitchell SJ, Moon RE
Lancet 2011 Jan 8;377(9760):153-64. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(10)61085-9. PMID: 21215883
Ventriculosinus shunt.
Toma AK, Tarnaris A, Kitchen ND, Watkins LD
Neurosurg Rev 2010 Apr;33(2):147-52; discussion 153. Epub 2010 Feb 23 doi: 10.1007/s10143-010-0242-0. PMID: 20177727
Diagnosis and treatment of vascular air embolism.
Mirski MA, Lele AV, Fitzsimmons L, Toung TJ
Anesthesiology 2007 Jan;106(1):164-77. doi: 10.1097/00000542-200701000-00026. PMID: 17197859
Pulmonary air embolism.
Souders JE
J Clin Monit Comput 2000;16(5-6):375-83. doi: 10.1023/a:1011455701892. PMID: 12580220

Diagnosis

Iatrogenic air embolism: pathoanatomy, thromboinflammation, endotheliopathy, and therapies.
Marsh PL, Moore EE, Moore HB, Bunch CM, Aboukhaled M, Condon SM 2nd, Al-Fadhl MD, Thomas SJ, Larson JR, Bower CW, Miller CB, Pearson ML, Twilling CL, Reser DW, Kim GS, Troyer BM, Yeager D, Thomas SG, Srikureja DP, Patel SS, Añón SL, Thomas AV, Miller JB, Van Ryn DE, Pamulapati SV, Zimmerman D, Wells B, Martin PL, Seder CW, Aversa JG, Greene RB, March RJ, Kwaan HC, Fulkerson DH, Vande Lune SA, Mollnes TE, Nielsen EW, Storm BS, Walsh MM
Front Immunol 2023;14:1230049. Epub 2023 Sep 19 doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1230049. PMID: 37795086Free PMC Article
Air embolism: diagnosis and management.
Malik N, Claus PL, Illman JE, Kligerman SJ, Moynagh MR, Levin DL, Woodrum DA, Arani A, Arunachalam SP, Araoz PA
Future Cardiol 2017 Jul;13(4):365-378. Epub 2017 Jun 23 doi: 10.2217/fca-2017-0015. PMID: 28644058
Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention of Hemodialysis Emergencies.
Saha M, Allon M
Clin J Am Soc Nephrol 2017 Feb 7;12(2):357-369. Epub 2016 Nov 9 doi: 10.2215/CJN.05260516. PMID: 27831511Free PMC Article
Diagnosis and treatment of vascular air embolism.
Mirski MA, Lele AV, Fitzsimmons L, Toung TJ
Anesthesiology 2007 Jan;106(1):164-77. doi: 10.1097/00000542-200701000-00026. PMID: 17197859
Pulmonary air embolism.
Souders JE
J Clin Monit Comput 2000;16(5-6):375-83. doi: 10.1023/a:1011455701892. PMID: 12580220

Therapy

Clinical Characteristics, Imaging Findings, and Outcomes of Cerebral Air Embolism.
Brown AE, Rabinstein AA, Braksick SA
Neurocrit Care 2023 Feb;38(1):158-164. Epub 2023 Jan 10 doi: 10.1007/s12028-022-01664-3. PMID: 36627433
Vascular air embolism: A silent hazard to patient safety.
Brull SJ, Prielipp RC
J Crit Care 2017 Dec;42:255-263. Epub 2017 Aug 7 doi: 10.1016/j.jcrc.2017.08.010. PMID: 28802790
Air embolism: diagnosis and management.
Malik N, Claus PL, Illman JE, Kligerman SJ, Moynagh MR, Levin DL, Woodrum DA, Arani A, Arunachalam SP, Araoz PA
Future Cardiol 2017 Jul;13(4):365-378. Epub 2017 Jun 23 doi: 10.2217/fca-2017-0015. PMID: 28644058
Cardiac and cerebral air embolism from endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography.
Finsterer J, Stöllberger C, Bastovansky A
Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol 2010 Oct;22(10):1157-62. doi: 10.1097/MEG.0b013e32833c5459. PMID: 20555267
Arterial air embolism.
Nicks R
Thorax 1967 Jul;22(4):320-6. doi: 10.1136/thx.22.4.320. PMID: 6035795Free PMC Article

Prognosis

Iatrogenic air embolism: pathoanatomy, thromboinflammation, endotheliopathy, and therapies.
Marsh PL, Moore EE, Moore HB, Bunch CM, Aboukhaled M, Condon SM 2nd, Al-Fadhl MD, Thomas SJ, Larson JR, Bower CW, Miller CB, Pearson ML, Twilling CL, Reser DW, Kim GS, Troyer BM, Yeager D, Thomas SG, Srikureja DP, Patel SS, Añón SL, Thomas AV, Miller JB, Van Ryn DE, Pamulapati SV, Zimmerman D, Wells B, Martin PL, Seder CW, Aversa JG, Greene RB, March RJ, Kwaan HC, Fulkerson DH, Vande Lune SA, Mollnes TE, Nielsen EW, Storm BS, Walsh MM
Front Immunol 2023;14:1230049. Epub 2023 Sep 19 doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1230049. PMID: 37795086Free PMC Article
Venous air embolism in CT coronary angiography.
Davies A, Mathur N, Lau T, Crossett M, Lau KK
J Med Imaging Radiat Oncol 2022 Apr;66(3):351-356. Epub 2021 Aug 20 doi: 10.1111/1754-9485.13316. PMID: 34415110
Venous air embolism: an under-recognized and potentially catastrophic complication in orthopaedic surgery.
Austin LS, VanBeek C, Williams GR
J Shoulder Elbow Surg 2013 Oct;22(10):1449-54. doi: 10.1016/j.jse.2013.06.007. PMID: 24054311
Ventriculosinus shunt.
Toma AK, Tarnaris A, Kitchen ND, Watkins LD
Neurosurg Rev 2010 Apr;33(2):147-52; discussion 153. Epub 2010 Feb 23 doi: 10.1007/s10143-010-0242-0. PMID: 20177727
Air embolism in spinal surgery.
McCarthy RE, Lonstein JE, Mertz JD, Kuslich SD
J Spinal Disord 1990 Mar;3(1):1-5. PMID: 2134405

Clinical prediction guides

Air embolism after CT-guided localization of pulmonary ground-glass nodules.
Sun SL, Yang ZJ, Sun HL, Huang ZG, Xu YY, Wang YL, Gao BX, Li CD
Br J Radiol 2023 Oct;96(1150):20220583. Epub 2023 Sep 3 doi: 10.1259/bjr.20220583. PMID: 37660366Free PMC Article
Clinical Characteristics, Imaging Findings, and Outcomes of Cerebral Air Embolism.
Brown AE, Rabinstein AA, Braksick SA
Neurocrit Care 2023 Feb;38(1):158-164. Epub 2023 Jan 10 doi: 10.1007/s12028-022-01664-3. PMID: 36627433
Systematic review and meta-analysis of management of incompetent perforators in patients with chronic venous insufficiency.
Ho VT, Adkar SS, Harris EJ Jr
J Vasc Surg Venous Lymphat Disord 2022 Jul;10(4):955-964.e5. Epub 2022 Feb 22 doi: 10.1016/j.jvsv.2021.12.088. PMID: 35217217
Air-embolism in the semi-sitting position for craniotomy: A narrative review with emphasis on a single centers experience.
Tufegdzic B, Lamperti M, Siyam A, Roser F
Clin Neurol Neurosurg 2021 Oct;209:106904. Epub 2021 Aug 27 doi: 10.1016/j.clineuro.2021.106904. PMID: 34482115
Gas embolism: pathophysiology and treatment.
van Hulst RA, Klein J, Lachmann B
Clin Physiol Funct Imaging 2003 Sep;23(5):237-46. doi: 10.1046/j.1475-097x.2003.00505.x. PMID: 12950319

Recent systematic reviews

Risk factors for air embolism following computed tomography-guided percutaneous transthoracic needle biopsy: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Zhang H, Wang S, Zhong F, Liao M
Diagn Interv Radiol 2023 May 31;29(3):478-491. Epub 2023 Mar 20 doi: 10.4274/dir.2022.221187. PMID: 36994842Free PMC Article
The risk of decompression illness in breath-hold divers: a systematic review.
Blogg SL, Tillmans F, Lindholm P
Diving Hyperb Med 2023 Mar 31;53(1):31-41. doi: 10.28920/dhm53.1.31-41. PMID: 36966520Free PMC Article
Systematic review and meta-analysis of management of incompetent perforators in patients with chronic venous insufficiency.
Ho VT, Adkar SS, Harris EJ Jr
J Vasc Surg Venous Lymphat Disord 2022 Jul;10(4):955-964.e5. Epub 2022 Feb 22 doi: 10.1016/j.jvsv.2021.12.088. PMID: 35217217
Tenth European Consensus Conference on Hyperbaric Medicine: recommendations for accepted and non-accepted clinical indications and practice of hyperbaric oxygen treatment.
Mathieu D, Marroni A, Kot J
Diving Hyperb Med 2017 Mar;47(1):24-32. doi: 10.28920/dhm47.1.24-32. PMID: 28357821Free PMC Article
Patent foramen ovale and neurosurgery in sitting position: a systematic review.
Fathi AR, Eshtehardi P, Meier B
Br J Anaesth 2009 May;102(5):588-96. Epub 2009 Apr 4 doi: 10.1093/bja/aep063. PMID: 19346525

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