title: "Air embolism during fontan operation".
abstract: In patients with a right to left intracardiac shunt, air embolism results in an obligatory systemic embolization. Nonembolization of entrained air is described in a child with a single ventricle physiology who had earlier undergone bidirectional Glenn shunt construction and Damus-Kaye-Stansel anastomosis. The air entrainment was detected by intra-operative transesophageal echocardiography. The combined effect of a "diving bell" phenomenon and mild aortic valve regurgitation are suggested as the reasons for the confinement of air into the ventricle preventing catastrophic systemic embolization.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesia, Royal Hospital, Muscat, Oman.
authors.forename: Madan Mohan
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Maddali
authors.forename: Eapen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: Mohd M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Malik
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D004618:Embolism, Air / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D018729:Fontan Procedure; D018475:Head-Down Tilt; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male