title: Coronary artery air embolism complicating a CT-guided transthoracic needle biopsy of the lung.
abstract: Systemic air embolism is a rare but potentially fatal complication of percutaneous transthoracic needle biopsy of the lung. Coronary air embolism can result in myocardial infarction, cardiac arrest, or dysrhythmias. We present the first case of cardiac arrest and myocardial infarction confirmed by ECG and cardiac enzymes in the presence of air in the left coronary artery documented by CT scan in a 77-year-old man after CT-guided transthoracic needle biopsy of the lung.
authors.affiliation: Louis A. Weiss Memorial Hospital, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA. Babak_Mokhlesi@rush.edu
authors.forename: Babak
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mokhlesi
authors.forename: Imraan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ansaarie
authors.forename: Mazen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bader
authors.forename: Mona
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tareen
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Boatman
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001707:Biopsy, Needle / Q000009:adverse effects; D003331:Coronary Vessels; D004562:Electrocardiography; D004618:Embolism, Air / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology*; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000209:etiology*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed