title: Intracardiac aspiration for life-threatening air embolism during cardiac catheterization in tetralogy of Fallot: an aborted sudden death.
abstract: Accidental introduction of air into veins can occur during a variety of surgical operations or diagnostic procedures. High mortality rate results without early diagnosis and appropriate treatment. This is due to "air lock" at the right ventricular outflow tract, compromising the left ventricular filling. We describe a 2-year-old male with Tetralogy of Fallot who developed air embolism due to unexpected rupture of Swan-Gang catheter during a cardiac catheterization study, which was managed successfully by intracardiac aspiration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, India. navgarg@sgpgi.ac.in
authors.forename: Naveen
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Garg
authors.forename: Nagaraja
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Moorthy
authors.forename: Pravin K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Goel
mesh_terms: D006328:Cardiac Catheterization / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D062906:Cardiac Catheters / Q000009:adverse effects; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003645:Death, Sudden; D004618:Embolism, Air / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery*; D004868:Equipment Failure; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013396:Suction / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D013771:Tetralogy of Fallot / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome