Venous air embolism (VAE), though, clinically benign in majority of cases, the significant ones can lead to life-threatening cardiopulmonary and neurological consequences. Though studies mention the success rate of only 6 to 16% in aspirating air from the central venous catheter (CVC) during VAE, the technique is very specific for diagnosing VAE and has high therapeutic significance. We report a case in which delayed aspiration of air emboli from the CVC in suspected massive VAE during decompressive craniectomy resulted in rapid resolution of hemodynamic instability. If not inserted previously, CVC may be considered in a hemodynamically unstable patient with suspected VAE.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.