Fatal Venous Air Embolism in a Cat With a Retropharyngeal Diverticulum

Abstract

A cat with a 1-year history of oropharyngeal foreign bodies was diagnosed with a pharyngeal diverticulum. The cat experienced fatal cardiac arrest during endoscopy, and postmortem radiographs and ultrasound revealed venous air embolism. Venous air embolism is uncommonly reported in veterinary medicine, but is a risk during any procedure that introduces air into a body cavity. Precautions should be taken during these procedures to help minimize the risk of adverse events.

Complications of extractions

“…[19][20][21] Therefore, caution must be exercised when using the airwater syringe or high-speed handpieces, particularly in close proximity to vessels whose integrity may have been compromised by trauma from the extraction procedure.…”

Drug Administration

“…1,2 The lesson of this case underscores the importance of having only one person responsible for setting up and instituting fluid therapy in the patient.…”

Serial postmortem abdominal radiographic findings in canine cadavers

“…The gas was detected in aorta, femoral artery, celiac and cranial mesenteric arteries, and caudal superficial epigastric artery, and also in the parenchyma of liver and spleen [13]. There were very few veterinary literatures on postmortem radiology [4,5,13]. Information such as the production of putrefactive gas in relation to postmortem interval may be helpful in estimating the time of death in animals.…”

“…A whole body skeletal radiological survey is recommended before an autopsy on a suspected fatal case of abused animals and humans as the abused victims were more likely to have multiple fractures [1][2][3]. Postmortem radiographic examination of a dead cat revealed multiple sites of venous air embolism as a result of air entering the venous system by crossing damaged vascular walls secondary to insufflation of a pharyngeal diverticulum prior to death [5]. Radiological detection of intravascular gas in dead fetuses in dogs with late term pregnancies had been reported [6].…”