SUCCESSFUL THERAPY OF CEREBRAL AIR-EMBOLISM WITH HYPERBARIC-OXYGEN AT 2.8 ATA

  • 1 January 1982
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 9  (1) , 75-80
Abstract
A 60-yr-old male patient suddenly developed bilateral blindness, agitation and disorientation 36 h after coronary bypass surgery. Onset of symptoms followed efforts to clear an air-filled radial artery cannula. Seven h after onset of symptoms, initial compression to 2.8 ATA [atmospheres of absolute pressure], 100% O2 (U.S. Navy Table 6), steroids, i.v. fluids and antiplatelet drugs were used for therapy. The patient''s agitation and disorientation dictated that initial compression of 6 ATA be averted contrary to conventional practice in therapy of air embolism and instead immediately give O2 at 2.8 ATA. After a 2nd treatment with US Navy Table 6, given 6 h after the first, the patient''s vision and mental state returned to normal. He subsequently had an uneventful recovery from surgery and cerebral air embolism.

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