What Researchers Did
Researchers reported on a single case of a patient who died from a cerebral air embolism after a central venous catheter was inserted.
What They Found
The study described a fatal cerebral air embolism that occurred after a subclavian vein catheter was placed. It noted that air embolism can happen if more than 30 ml of air enters the circulation, or due to a right-to-left shunt like a patent foramen ovale. The authors also mentioned that hyperbaric oxygen therapy is part of the treatment for this condition.
Canadian Relevance
This study covers arterial gas embolism, which is a Health Canada-recognised indication for hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
Study Limitations
As a case report, this study's findings are based on a single patient and cannot be generalized to a larger population.