What Researchers Did
Researchers reported on a 60-year-old woman who developed a rare air embolism in her heart after undergoing an elective lung biopsy for a pulmonary nodule.
What They Found
Systemic arterial air embolism is a rare complication of lung biopsies, with an incidence reported between 0.01-0.45%. In this case, the patient experienced fainting symptoms and was diagnosed by CT scan with a left ventricular air embolism. She was treated with specific body positioning and 100% oxygen via a nonrebreather mask, leading to complete resolution of the air within 24 hours.
Canadian Relevance
This study covers arterial gas embolism, which is a Health Canada-recognised indication for hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
Study Limitations
As a single case report, this study's findings cannot be broadly applied to all patients and do not provide statistical evidence for treatment effectiveness.