Air embolism

From Ganfyd

Embolisation of air, e.g. iatrogenically via vascular access, or trauma. It is best distinguished from other forms of gas embolism, so that for example decompression sickness due to nitrogen bubbles has different treatment.

While minor air embolism is very common with intravenous infusion devices (and microbubbles are cleared by the lungs) it would be more likely to be symptomatic if microbubbles got into the systemic circulation, and indeed this is well described. More than a few millilitres in an adult can be lethal and is likely to be the mechanism of death from a "cut throat" as air enters the large neck veins against their sub-atmospheric pressure. Air and blood form a froth in the right ventricle and pulmonary arterial circulation with reduced pumping efficiency and increased resistance to flow.

Rapid compression if possible, high concentration inspired oxygen, positioning and conceivably aspiration of air from the ventricle might help.