title: Beware of positive pressure: coronary artery air embolism following percutaneous lung biopsy.
abstract: Patients undergoing percutaneous lung biopsy are at risk of developing a systemic air embolism. Air embolism may manifest as a catastrophic iatrogenic event with ischemic insult to the end organs, with sites of least resistance such as coronary and cerebral circulation the most susceptible. We review the available literature and present a case of iatrogenic air embolism during computed tomography guided percutaenous lung biopsy under general anesthesia. Management, outcome, and periprocedural factors that may have contributed to the complication are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of Mississippi Medical Center, 2500 N State St, Jackson, MS 39216, USA.
authors.forename: Dmitriy N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Kazimirko
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Mayo Clinic, 200 First St SW, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA.
authors.forename: William B
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Beam
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of Mississippi Medical Center, 2500 N State St, Jackson, MS 39216, USA.
authors.forename: Khalid
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Saleh
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of Mississippi Medical Center, 2500 N State St, Jackson, MS 39216, USA.
authors.forename: Akash M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Patel
keywords: Coronary artery air embolism; Percutaneous lung biopsy; Systemic air embolism; Transient heart block