What Researchers Did
Researchers described a case of cerebral air embolism following a percutaneous transthoracic CT-guided lung biopsy in a 71-year-old man, which was successfully treated with hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
What They Found
A 71-year-old man developed air in his left ventricle and ascending aorta immediately after a CT-guided lung biopsy for a 2 cm nodule. Five hours later, he experienced left lower extremity weakness, but fully recovered the next day after hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
Canadian patients undergoing lung biopsies should be aware of the rare but serious risk of air embolism. Prompt recognition and treatment, such as hyperbaric oxygen therapy, can lead to a full recovery from this complication.
Canadian Relevance
This case report has no direct Canadian connection as it describes a patient treated in another country.
Study Limitations
As a single case report, the findings cannot be generalized to a broader patient population.