Venous Air Embolism Differential Diagnoses

1. Mirski MA, Lele AV, Fitzsimmons L, Toung TJ. Diagnosis and treatment of vascular air embolism. Anesthesiology. 2007 Jan. 106(1):164-77. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

2. Sviri S, Woods WP, van Heerden PV. Air embolism--a case series and review. Crit Care Resusc. 2004 Dec. 6(4):271-6. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

3. van Hulst RA, Klein J, Lachmann B. Gas embolism: pathophysiology and treatment. Clin Physiol Funct Imaging. 2003 Sep. 23(5):237-46. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

4. Muth CM, Shank ES. Gas embolism. N Engl J Med. 2000 Feb 17. 342(7):476-82. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

5. Wong AY, Irwin MG. Large venous air embolism in the sitting position despite monitoring with transoesophageal echocardiography. Anaesthesia. 2005 Aug. 60(8):811-3. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

6. Pronovost PJ, Wu AW, Sexton JB. Acute decompensation after removing a central line: practical approaches to increasing safety in the intensive care unit. Ann Intern Med. 2004 Jun 15. 140(12):1025-33. [QxMD MEDLINE Link]. [Full Text].

7. Moon RE. Air or gas embolism. Feldmeier JJ. Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy: Committee Report. Kensington, MD: Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society; 2003. 5-10.

8. Spence NZ, Faloba K, Sonabend AM, Bruce JN, Anastasian ZH. Venous air embolus during scalp incision. J Clin Neurosci. 2016 Jun. 28:170-1. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

9. Cruz AS, Moisi M, Page J, et al. Venous air embolus during prone cervical spine fusion: case report. J Neurosurg Spine. 2016 Dec. 25(6):681-4. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

10. Ho AM, Ling E. Systemic air embolism after lung trauma. Anesthesiology. 1999 Feb. 90(2):564-75. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

11. Platz E. Tangential gunshot wound to the chest causing venous air embolism: a case report and review. J Emerg Med. 2011 Aug. 41(2):e25-9. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

12. Mercurio I, Capano D, Torre R, et al. A case of fatal cerebral air embolism after blunt lung trauma: postmortem computed tomography and autopsy findings. Am J Forensic Med Pathol. 2017 Dec 22. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

13. Wong SS, Kwaan HC, Ing TS. Venous air embolism related to the use of central catheters revisited: with emphasis on dialysis catheters. Clin Kidney J. 2017 Dec. 10(6):797-803. [QxMD MEDLINE Link]. [Full Text].

14. Imai S, Tamada T, Gyoten M, Yamashita T, Kajihara Y. Iatrogenic venous air embolism caused by CT injector--from a risk management point of view. Radiat Med. 2004 Jul-Aug. 22(4):269-71. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

15. Sheasgreen J, Terry T, Mackey JR. Large-volume air embolism as a complication of augmented computed tomography: case report. Can Assoc Radiol J. 2002 Oct. 53(4):199-201. [QxMD MEDLINE Link]. [Full Text].

16. Fibel KH, Barnes RP, Kinderknecht JJ. Pressurized intravenous fluid administration in the professional football player: a unique setting for venous air embolism. Clin J Sport Med. 2015 Jul. 25(4):e67-9. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

17. Kapoor T, Gutierrez G. Air embolism as a cause of the systemic inflammatory response syndrome: a case report. Crit Care. 2003 Oct. 7(5):R98-R100. [QxMD MEDLINE Link]. [Full Text].

18. Ho AM. Is emergency thoracotomy always the most appropriate immediate intervention for systemic air embolism after lung trauma?. Chest. 1999 Jul. 116(1):234-7. [QxMD MEDLINE Link]. [Full Text].

19. Leitch DR, Green RD. Pulmonary barotrauma in divers and the treatment of cerebral arterial gas embolism. Aviat Space Environ Med. 1986 Oct. 57(10 Pt 1):931-8. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

20. Schellart NA, Sterk W. Venous gas embolism after an open-water air dive and identical repetitive dive. Undersea Hyperb Med. 2012 Jan-Feb. 39(1):577-87. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

21. Palmon SC, Moore LE, Lundberg J, Toung T. Venous air embolism: a review. J Clin Anesth. 1997 May. 9(3):251-7. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

22. Zargaraff G, Zucker M. Radiology challenge: the sudden death. Israeli J of Emerg Med. Oct 2005. 5(4):49-51.

23. Karaosmanoglu D, Oktar SO, Arac M, Erbas G. Case report: Portal and systemic venous gas in a patient after lumbar puncture. Br J Radiol. 2005 Aug. 78(932):767-9. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

24. Schlundt J, Tzanova I, Werner C. A case of intrapulmonary transmission of air while transitioning a patient from a sitting to a supine position after venous air embolism during a craniotomy. Can J Anaesth. 2012 May. 59(5):478-82. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

25. Longatti P, Marton E, Feletti A, Falzarano M, Canova G, Sorbara C. Carbon dioxide field flooding reduces the hemodynamic effects of venous air embolism occurring in the sitting position. Childs Nerv Syst. 2015 Aug. 31(8):1321-6. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

26. Lew TW, Tay DH, Thomas E. Venous air embolism during cesarean section: more common than previously thought. Anesth Analg. 1993 Sep. 77(3):448-52. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

27. Fong J, Gadalla F, Druzin M. Venous emboli occurring caesarean section: the effect of patient position. Can J Anaesth. 1991 Mar. 38(2):191-5. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

28. Scoletta P, Morsiani E, Ferrocci G, et al. [Carbon dioxide embolization: is it a complication of laparoscopic cholecystectomy? ]. Minerva Chir. 2003 Jun. 58(3):313-20. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

29. Yesilaras M, Atilla OD, Aksay E, Kilic TY. Retrograde cerebral air embolism. Am J Emerg Med. 2014 Dec. 32(12):1562.e1-2. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

30. Orebaugh SL. Venous air embolism: clinical and experimental considerations. Crit Care Med. 1992 Aug. 20(8):1169-77. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

31. Imai S, Tamada T, Gyoten M, Yamashita T, Kajihara Y. Iatrogenic venous air embolism caused by CT injector--from a risk management point of view. Radiat Med. 2004 Jul-Aug. 22(4):269-71. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

32. Lou S, Ji B, Liu J, Yu K, Long C. Generation, detection and prevention of gaseous microemboli during cardiopulmonary bypass procedure. Int J Artif Organs. 2011 Nov. 34(11):1039-51. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

33. Vesely TM. Air embolism during insertion of central venous catheters. J Vasc Interv Radiol. 2001 Nov. 12(11):1291-5. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

34. Trunkey D. Initial treatment of patients with extensive trauma. N Engl J Med. 1991 May 2. 324(18):1259-63. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

35. Cheng CK, Chang TY, Liu CH, et al. Presence of gyriform air predicts unfavorable outcome in venous catheter-related cerebral air embolism. J Stroke Cerebrovasc Dis. 2015 Oct. 24(10):2189-95. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

36. Ganslandt O, Merkel A, Schmitt H, et al. The sitting position in neurosurgery: indications, complications and results. a single institution experience of 600 cases. Acta Neurochir (Wien). 2013 Oct. 155(10):1887-93. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

37. Novack V, Shefer A, Almog Y. Images in cardiology. Coronary air embolism after removal of central venous catheter. Heart. 2006 Jan. 92(1):39. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

38. Gracia I, Fabregas N. Craniotomy in sitting position: anesthesiology management. Curr Opin Anaesthesiol. 2014 Oct. 27(5):474-83. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

39. Maddukuri P, Downey BC, Blander JA, Pandian NG, Patel AR. Echocardiographic diagnosis of air embolism associated with central venous catheter placement: case report and review of the literature. Echocardiography. 2006 Apr. 23(4):315-8. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

40. Tins BJ, Cassar-Pullicino VN, Lalam R, Haddaway M. Venous air embolism in consecutive balloon kyphoplasties visualised on CT imaging. Skeletal Radiol. 2012 Sep. 41(9):1093-8. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

41. Archer DP, Pash MP, MacRae ME. Successful management of venous air embolism with inotropic support. Can J Anaesth. 2001 Feb. 48(2):204-8. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

42. Ohashi S, Endoh H, Honda T, Komura N, Satoh K. Cerebral air embolism complicating percutaneous thin-needle biopsy of the lung: complete neurological recovery after hyperbaric oxygen therapy. J Anesth. 2001. 15(4):233-6. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

Brenda L Natal, MD, MPH Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine, Simulation Director, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School; Attending Physician, Department of Emergency Medicine, University Hospital of Newark

Brenda L Natal, MD, MPH is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Emergency Physicians, American Medical Association

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Christopher I Doty, MD, MAAEM, FAAEM, FACEP Tenured Professor of Emergency Medicine, University of Kentucky College of Medicine; Vice Chair of Education, Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Kentucky Chandler Medical Center

Christopher I Doty, MD, MAAEM, FAAEM, FACEP is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Emergency Medicine, American College of Emergency Physicians, Council of Residency Directors in Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD Adjunct Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy; Editor-in-Chief, Medscape Drug Reference

Disclosure: Received salary from Medscape for employment. for: Medscape.

David Eitel, MD, MBA Associate Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine, York Hospital; Physician Advisor for Case Management, Wellspan Health System, York

David Eitel, MD, MBA is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Emergency Physicians, American Society of Pediatric Nephrology, Society for Academic Emergency Medicine, Society of Critical Care Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Erik D Schraga, MD Staff Physician, Department of Emergency Medicine, Mills-Peninsula Emergency Medical Associates

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Daniel J Dire, MD, FACEP, FAAP, FAAEM Professor of Pediatrics and Emergency Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, Joe R and Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine

Daniel J Dire, MD, FACEP, FAAP, FAAEM is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Clinical Toxicology, American Academy of Emergency Medicine, American Academy of Pediatrics, American College of Emergency Physicians, The Society of Federal Health Professionals (AMSUS)

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

The authors and editors of Medscape Drugs & Diseases gratefully acknowledge the contributions of previous authors, Andrew G Wittenberg, MD, MPH; Allison J Richard, MD; and Steven A Conrad, MD, PhD, to the development and writing of this article.

• Print this section
• Print the entire contents of
• Print the entire contents of article