What Researchers Did
Researchers reported on 6 patients who experienced arterial air embolism during cardiopulmonary bypass and were treated with hyperbaric oxygenation.
What They Found
Among 6 patients with arterial air embolism during cardiopulmonary bypass, 4 experienced delayed hyperbaric oxygen therapy (17 to 20 hours). Of these 4, only 2 showed partial neurological improvement, whereas the 2 patients who received hyperbaric oxygen therapy with minimal delay experienced successful outcomes.
Canadian Relevance
This study has no direct Canadian connection as it was conducted outside of Canada.
Study Limitations
A significant limitation of this study is its very small sample size of only 6 patients, which limits the generalizability of the findings.