Accidental Cerebral Venous Gas Embolism in a Young Patient With Congenital Heart Disease

• Published in: Journal of child neurology Vol. 23; no. 1; pp. 121 - 123
• Main Authors: Buompadre, María Celeste, Arroyo, Hugo Antonio
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 01-01-2008
• Subjects: Anti-Bacterial Agents - administration & dosage; Cardiac Surgical Procedures; Catheterization - adverse effects; Causality; Cerebral Cortex - blood supply; Cerebral Cortex - pathology; Cerebral Cortex - physiopathology; Cerebral Infarction - etiology; Cerebral Infarction - pathology; Cerebral Infarction - physiopathology; Cerebral Veins - physiopathology; Cerebrovascular Circulation - physiology; Child; Early Diagnosis; Ebstein Anomaly - physiopathology; Ebstein Anomaly - surgery; Embolism, Air - complications; Embolism, Air - etiology; Embolism, Air - physiopathology; Female; Heart Septal Defects, Atrial - physiopathology; Heart Septal Defects, Atrial - surgery; Humans; Hyperbaric Oxygenation - standards; Iatrogenic Disease - prevention & control; Infusions, Intravenous - adverse effects; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Movement Disorders - etiology; Movement Disorders - pathology; Movement Disorders - physiopathology; Surgical Wound Infection - drug therapy; Time; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; air embolism; cerebral venous gas embolism; gas embolism
• ISSN: 0883-0738; 1708-8283
• DOI: 10.1177/0883073807308696

This article describes an 11-year-old girl with a diagnosis of Ebstein's anomaly. Glenn and Fontan surgeries were performed successfully. She had a generalized tonic-clonic seizure after peripheral intravenous infusion under pressure. A computed tomography brain scan performed 30 minutes later showed multiple serpiginous hypodensities in the cortical sulci and in the superior longitudinal sinus compatible with cerebral venous gas embolism. At follow-up 1 month later, the girl had severe motor impairment. Cerebral gas embolism should be considered in a patient with risk factors and acute neurological symptoms in order to select the treatment of choice, hyperbaric oxygen, and reduce damage to brain tissues.