Successful therapy of cerebral air embolism with hyperbaric oxygen at 2.8 ATA

Abstract

A 60-year-old male patient suddenly developed blindness, agitation, and disorientation 36 h after coronary bypass surgery. Onset of symptoms followed efforts to clear an air-filled radial artery cannula. Seven hours after onset of symptoms, initial compression to 2.8 ATA (60 fsw), 100percent oxygen (U.S. Navy Table 6), steroids, intravenous fluids, and antiplatelet drugs were used for therapy. The patient's agitation and disorientation dictated that we avoid initial compression to 6 ATA (165 fsw), contrary to conventional practice in therapy of air embolism, and instead immediately give oxygen at 2.8 ATA. After a second treatment with USN 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. Atmospheric Pressure Brain Diseases/*therapy Embolism, Air/*therapy Human *Hyperbaric Oxygenation Male Middle Aged Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S. Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.