Fatal systemic arterial air embolism following lung needle aspiration.
Fatal systemic arterial air embolism occurred as a complication of percutaneous fine-needle aspiration of the lung, immediately following cytologic sampling of a vasculitic lesion of Wegener granulomatosis. This complication is extremely rare, and it may have been caused by the biopsy of abnormal veins, in which transmural inflammation prevented the normal vasoconstrictive responses to injury.
Aberle
D R
DR
Department of Radiological Sciences, UCLA Medical Center 90024.
Gamsu
G
G
Golden
J A
JA
D001707:Biopsy, Needle / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002544:Cerebral Infarction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D004618:Embolism, Air / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed