injuries poisoning
Arterial Gas Embolism
Introduction
Arterial gas embolism is a potentially catastrophic event that occurs when gas bubbles enter or form in the arterial vasculature and occlude blood flow, causing organ ischemia. Arterial gas embolism can cause central nervous system (CNS) ischemia with rapid loss of consciousness, other CNS manifestations, or both; it also may affect other organs. Diagnosis is clinical and does not require confirmation by imaging. Treatment is 100% oxygen and Recompression Therapy as soon as possible. (See also Overview of Diving Injuries .) Gas emboli may enter the arterial circulation in any of the following ways: From ruptured alveoli after lung barotrauma From within the arterial circulation itself in severe Decompression Sickness None Via migration from the venous circulation (venous gas embolism) either via a right-to-left shunt (patent foramen ovale, Atrial Septal Defect (ASD) ) or by overwhelming the filtering capacity of the lungs Even an otherwise asymptomatic Air embolism can cause serious manifestations (eg, Although cerebral embolism is considered the most serious manifestation, arterial gas embolism can cause significant ischemia in other organs (eg, spinal cord, heart, skin, kidneys, spleen, gastrointestinal tract). Deep Venous Thrombosis (DVT) and 