PROSPECTIVE STUDY OF AIR EMBOLISM

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Abstract
Air embolism is a potentially fatal complication. A prospective study of air embolism during neurosurgery in the sitting position was carried out. The overall incidence of air embolism was 22.2 per cent in all patients operated on in the sitting position and 40 per cent in cases of occipital craniectomy. Almost all episodes occurred in the early stage of the operation; however, air embolism occurred also in the late stage of the operation. The signs used for diagnosis are described. Decrease of end-expiratory carbon dioxide concentration was an early diagnostic sign of air embolism. The main treatment in 18 episodes consisted of aspiration of air through the central venous pressure catheter and discontinuation of nitrous oxide. Three cases are reported in detail.

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