title: Air embolism as a cause of the systemic inflammatory response syndrome: a case report.
abstract: We describe a case of systemic inflammatory response syndrome associated with air embolism following the removal of a central line catheter, coupled with a deep inspiratory maneuver. The presence of a patent foramen ovale allowed the passage of a clinically significant amount of air from the venous circulation to the systemic circulation. The interaction of air with the systemic arterial endothelium may have triggered the release of endothelium-derived cytokines, resulting in the physiologic response of systemic inflammatory response syndrome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA.
authors.forename: Tarun
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kapoor
authors.forename: Guillermo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gutierrez
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002405:Catheterization, Central Venous; D020878:Device Removal / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004618:Embolism, Air / Q000150:complications* / Q000209:etiology; D006346:Heart Septum; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018746:Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome / Q000209:etiology*; D014481:United States