title: Cerebral and spinal air embolism following percutaneous nephrolithotomy.
abstract: We present a case report of cerebral and spinal air embolism following percutaneous nephrolithotomy in a patient without evidence of intra-cardiac defects or prepulmonary A-V shunts. The position of the patient during the incidence determined the site of eventual lodgement of air emboli in the arterial circulation. We suspect that the time of onset of symptoms following the procedure may be the clue to the path followed by air emboli.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, P.D. Hinduja National Hospital and Medical Research Centre, Veer Savarkar Marg, Mahim, Mumbai-400 016, India.
authors.forename: Amit Girish
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Kachalia
authors.forename: Charulata Sankhla
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Savant
authors.forename: Suhas
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Patil
authors.forename: Santosh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: Farhad N
authors.initials: FN
authors.lastname: Kapadia
mesh_terms: D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000008:administration & dosage; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D004618:Embolism, Air / Q000209:etiology*; D006493:Heparin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D020766:Intracranial Embolism / Q000209:etiology*; D007669:Kidney Calculi / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009403:Nephrostomy, Percutaneous / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010291:Paresis / Q000150:complications; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D013131:Spine; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants; D006493:Heparin