title: Presumptive delayed gas embolism after laparoscopic cholecystectomy.
abstract: A 50-year-old woman, with a history of arterial hypertension treated with beta-blocker and Ca-antagonist, presented cardiac arrest 6 hours after elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy. During surgical intervention, arterial hypotension without any respiratory change was observed. Dyspnea, asthenia and anxiety were the clinical signs appearing approximately 2 hours before cardiac arrest. After resuscitation, myocardial infarction, dissecting thoracic aortic aneurysm and major pulmonary thromboembolism were excluded. The signs of increased resistance to the right ventricular outflow and the relevant alteration of coagulation tests, lasting only a few hours, suggested venous gas embolism. Subsequently, the patient presented a cortical blindness, persisting at hospital discharge. The anesthetists should be aware about the complication that we observed after laparoscopic surgery. The least sign of cardiorespiratory instability appearing in the postoperative period must be taken into account and signal the need for increased monitoring.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences and Advanced Therapy, University Hospital, Ferrara.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Capuzzo
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Buccoliero
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Verri
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gritti
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Alvisi
mesh_terms: D017081:Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic; D004618:Embolism, Air / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000209:etiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology*