Venous air embolism during radical perineal prostatectomy.
An abrupt decrease in end-tidal carbon dioxide (CO2) occurred in an anesthetized male who was placed in the head down position during radical perineal prostatectomy. The end-tidal CO2 was restored after insertion of a wet pack into the operative site, which strongly indicated venous air embolism as the cause. Predisposing factors, detection, and treatment of venous air embolism in this setting are discussed.
Jolliffe
M P
MP
Department of Anesthesiology, State University of New York at Buffalo, USA.
Lyew
M A
MA
Berger
I H
IH
Grimaldi
T
T
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000601:surgery; D000368:Aged; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000032:analysis; D004618:Embolism, Air / Q000209:etiology*; D018475:Head-Down Tilt; D006801:Humans; D007431:Intraoperative Complications; D008297:Male; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D010502:Perineum / Q000601:surgery; D011468:Prostatectomy / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D012307:Risk Factors; D015503:Surgical Sponges; D013990:Tidal Volume; D014680:Veins; D014867:Water
D014867:Water; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D010100:Oxygen