Intracoronary air embolism in open heart surgery--an uncommon source of myocardial ischaemia.
We report a case of air embolism detected by transesophageal echocardiography in a patient undergoing open heart surgery for acute mitral regurgitation. Intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography revealed an increased brightness of the apical wall and a severely compromised left ventricular myocardium with severe diffuse hypokinesis after removal of the aortic cross clamps and spontaneous resolution in the control echocardiography.
Lamm
Gudrun
G
Department of Cardiology, General Hospital Wels, Austria.
Auer
Johann
J
Punzengruber
Christian
C
Ng
Choi-Keung
CK
Eber
Bernd
B
D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003331:Coronary Vessels; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D004562:Electrocardiography; D004618:Embolism, Air / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D020345:Enterocolitis, Necrotizing / Q000150:complications; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D007423:Intra-Aortic Balloon Pumping; D007432:Intraoperative Period; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008944:Mitral Valve Insufficiency / Q000601:surgery; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy