What Researchers Did
Researchers reported a case of cerebral air embolism resulting from accidental air injection during cerebral angiography.
What They Found
A 60-year-old man experienced posterior circulation ischemia symptoms after air was accidentally injected via the left subclavian artery, with angiography showing air in the basilar artery. Despite these symptoms, MRI including diffusion-weighted imaging showed no abnormality 4 hours later. The patient received hyperbaric oxygen within 5 hours, and all symptoms resolved completely within a week.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
This case suggests that severe symptoms of cerebral air embolism can occur even when early MRI scans, including diffusion-weighted imaging, appear normal. Prompt diagnosis and treatment, such as hyperbaric oxygen therapy, may lead to a full recovery for patients experiencing this complication.
Canadian Relevance
This study has no direct Canadian connection.
Study Limitations
As a single case report, the findings may not be generalizable to all patients experiencing cerebral air embolism.