Fatal venous air embolism in a cat with a retropharyngeal diverticulum.
A cat with a 1-year history of oropharyngeal foreign bodies was diagnosed with a pharyngeal diverticulum. The cat experienced fatal cardiac arrest during endoscopy, and postmortem radiographs and ultrasound revealed venous air embolism. Venous air embolism is uncommonly reported in veterinary medicine, but is a risk during any procedure that introduces air into a body cavity. Precautions should be taken during these procedures to help minimize the risk of adverse events.
Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, Blacksburg, USA. ober@vt.edu
Christopher P
CP
Ober
Tim C
TC
Spotswood
Robert
R
Hancock
D000818:Animals; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002415:Cats; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004618:Embolism, Air / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary*; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005549:Foreign-Body Reaction / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D011859:Radiography; D014463:Ultrasonography; D016672:Zenker Diverticulum / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary*