Unexpected, transesophageal echocardiography-detected left ventricular microbubbles during off-pump coronary artery bypass graft surgery

Microvascular gas embolization clearance following perfluorocarbon administration

“…A BRIEF REVIEW OF RECENT LITERATURE demonstrates that gas embolism is known to occur in cardiac surgery, both on-pump from bypass circuit sources (8) and offpump (2). It happens in endoscopy (1), laparoscopic surgery (16), tissue biopsy (21), neurosurgery (30), liver transplantation (29), during central venous line insertion and removal (12), in orthopedic surgery (7), with laser surgery (20), during neuroangiography and cardiac catheterization procedures (26,34), in cardiac ablation procedures (17), and in arthroscopy (14).…”

Air embolism during operative hysteroscopy: TEE-guided resuscitation

“…However, there are other rare etiologies of false-positive PFO that may occur within three cardiac cycles. They include spontaneous gas formation caused by abrupt changes in atrial pressure following respiratory maneuver [52] and air crossing from the RA to the LA by means of Thebesian veins [53].…”

Massive systemic air embolism during off-pump coronary artery surgery

“…Therefore, CO 2 gas trapped in any part of circulation is not likely to cause systemic embolism due to bubbles. Proximal arterial sling may prevent proximal coronary artery system embolization but Akhtar and colleagues [6] showed that left ventricular air bubbles come from thebesian veins drained to the left ventricle. Thus, these bubbles may cause systemic embolization.…”

“…However, blowing of compressed air or oxygen into the coronary artery may cause embolic complications. Coronary artery embolism [5], left ventricular cavity air filling [6], massive pulmonary artery embolization during the repair of injured coronary vein [7] have been reported. Herein, we report a case of massive systemic air embolism during an OPCAB operation.…”