Quadriplegia following venous air embolism during posterior fossa exploration. A case report.
A frequent complication of posterior fossa exploration with the patient in the sitting position is venous air embolism. Spinal cord deficits following such a mishap have rarely been reported. We report a case in which a patient who suffered venous air embolism developed quadriplegia from the C6 level. The mechanisms of passage of air into the arterial system are discussed.
D000328:Adult; D003388:Cranial Fossa, Posterior / Q000601:surgery*; D004618:Embolism, Air / Q000150:complications* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011782:Quadriplegia / Q000209:etiology*; D012886:Skull / Q000601:surgery*