Published in:
01-03-2017 | Imaging in Intensive Care Medicine
Air embolisms in pulmonary artery, right atrium and portal vein: an unusual case of decompression sickness
Published in: Intensive Care Medicine | Issue 3/2017
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A 63-year-old woman was transferred to our ICU after suffering a cardiac arrest following a diving accident. Her condition was unstable. A CT revealed air embolisms in the pulmonary artery and right atrium; intestinal pneumatosis and pneumoperitoneum and presence of portal air (Fig. 1a, b). An exploratory laparotomy revealed no evidence of pathology. Because of the persistent haemodynamic instability, it was not possible to transfer the patient to a centre with a hyperbaric chamber. She continued to be treated properly; however, she remained in a state of refractory shock, organ failure and finally died 24 h later. The final diagnosis was air embolism secondary to severe decompression sickness.
Fig. 1
a Air embolisms in the trunk of the pulmonary artery and right atrium (arrows). b Striking intrahepatic portal vein gas (arrows)
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