Clinical Study Annals of surgery 1985

Cerebral air embolism resulting from invasive medical procedures. Treatment with hyperbaric oxygen.

Murphy BP, Harford FJ, Cramer FS — Annals of surgery, 1985

View Original on PubMed PMID 3918516

Tier 2, Indexed

Automatically imported from PubMed based on relevance criteria.

Summary

What Researchers Did

Researchers treated 16 patients experiencing cerebral air embolism with hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

What They Found

Of the 16 patients, 8 (50%) achieved complete relief of their neurological symptoms following hyperbaric treatment. Five patients (31%) experienced partial relief, while three (19%) showed no benefit, with two of these patients ultimately dying.

Canadian Relevance

This study has no direct Canadian connection as it was not conducted in Canada or by Canadian researchers.

Study Limitations

A limitation of this study is its small sample size of 16 patients and the absence of a control group.

This plain-language summary is generated with AI assistance and checked against the source abstract before publication. See our editorial policy.

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Study Details

Study Type	Clinical Study
Category	Neurological
Source	Pubmed
PubMed ID	3918516
Year Published	1985
Journal	Annals of surgery
MeSH Terms	Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Cardiac Catheterization; Crohn Disease; Embolism, Air; Female; Heart Arrest; Humans; Hyperbaric Oxygenation; Intracranial Embolism and Thrombosis; Male; Middle Aged; Parenteral Nutrition

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Disclaimer: This study summary is provided for informational and educational purposes only. It does not constitute medical advice. The information presented reflects the findings of the original research authors and may not represent the views of Canada Hyperbarics. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making treatment decisions.

Last reviewed: April 2, 2026 | Reviewed by: Canada Hyperbarics Editorial Team | Editorial process | Research sources | Counts & methodology