What Researchers Did
Researchers reported a case of cerebral air embolism during lung segmentectomy with video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) in a 64-year-old woman.
What They Found
They found that a 64-year-old woman undergoing VATS lung segmentectomy experienced a rapid increase in systolic blood pressure from 120 to 170 mmHg and a sudden drop in BIS value from approximately 45 to 5 after air injection to confirm the surgical lesion. This event led to cerebral air embolism, confirmed by imaging, resulting in her discharge with left hemiparalysis on the 11th postoperative day.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
This case highlights the rare but serious risk of cerebral air embolism during video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) procedures, particularly when air is injected for lesion confirmation. Canadian patients undergoing similar surgeries should be aware of potential complications, and clinicians should maintain vigilance for sudden physiological changes indicating air embolism.
Canadian Relevance
This study has no direct Canadian connection as it is a case report from Japan.
Study Limitations
As a single case report, this study's findings cannot be generalized to a broader patient population.