title: Venous air embolism during radical perineal prostatectomy.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, State University of New York at Buffalo, USA.
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Jolliffe
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Lyew
authors.forename: I H
authors.initials: IH
authors.lastname: Berger
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Grimaldi
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D014867:Water; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D010100:Oxygen