[Intraoperative vascular air embolism : Evidence for risks, diagnostics and treatment].

[Intraoperative vascular air embolism : Evidence for risks, diagnostics and treatment]. Anaesthesist. 2020 Nov 16;: Authors: Michels P, Meyer EC, Brandes IF, Bräuer A Abstract The entry of gases into the vascular system is called vascular air embolism (VAE). The blocking of the pulmonary circulation by VAE can lead to fulminant right-sided heart failure and cardiocirculatory arrest. A VAE can occur at any time if there is an open connection between the environment and a venous vessel with subatmospheric pressure. This situation occurs during ear nose throat surgery, hip surgery, surgery of the lesser pelvis or breast surgery, if the surgical field is above the level of the heart; however, a VAE can also occur during routine tasks, such as insertion or removal of a central venous catheter or during endoscopic procedures with the insufflation of gas.Because during these procedures VAE is not the main focus of the anesthesia or surgery personnel, in such situations its sudden unexpected occurrence can have severe consequences. In contrast, in cardiac surgery or neurosurgery the risk of intraoperative VAE is much better known. In procedures with a higher risk of a clinically relevant VAE, a patent foramen ovale should be ruled out by preoperative transesophageal echocardiography (TEE). Intraoperatively TEE is the most sensitive procedure not only to detect a VAE but also to visualize the clinical expression, e.g. acute right heart ov...
Source: Der Anaesthesist - Category: Anesthesiology Authors: Tags: Anaesthesist Source Type: research