title: Cerebral arterial air embolism: IV. Failure to recover with treatment, and secondary deterioration.
abstract: Cerebral arterial gas embolism was induced in 23 dogs that were then treated using one of six routines: no treatment; air at 2.8 bar (60 ft) for 2 min; air at 10 bar (300 ft) for 5 min; oxygen at 2.8 bar for 10 or 20 min; and air at 6 bar (165 ft) for 10 min. After decompression they were monitored for a total of 90 min after the time of embolization. The dogs then underwent an autoradiographic study of cerebral blood flow (CBF). A number of the air-treated dogs experienced a reduction in cortical evoked potential after decompression. Dogs in all groups, except the untreated group and the dog at 10 bar for 5 min, showed an improved CBF compared with their short-study counterparts. After compression treatment, CBF improved with time. Function in 7 dogs deteriorated to a variable small degree in the air-treated groups, while only 3 dogs in the group on oxygen for 10 min deteriorated by around 10%. The CBF of the oxygen groups was close to the undived control values, and their cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pressures had returned to control levels. There was a dissociation between improving CBF and deteriorating function. It is evident that secondary deterioration is a random affair and therefore not easily studied. The results of the four-part series are summarized and discussed.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002539:Cerebral Arterial Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation; D003664:Decompression; D004242:Diving / Q000009:adverse effects; D004285:Dogs; D004618:Embolism, Air / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D005073:Evoked Potentials, Somatosensory; D006931:Hyperbaric Oxygenation; D007427:Intracranial Pressure; D008297:Male