J Korean Soc Emerg Med.  2017 Aug;28(4):395-398. 10.0000/jksem.2017.28.4.395.

Cerebral and Coronary Air Embolism after Percutaneous Needle Aspiration Biopsy of Lung

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Emergency Medicine, Kangwon National University Hospital, Chuncheon, Korea. otgotg11@gmail.com
  • 2Department of Radiology, Kangwon National University Hospital, Chuncheon, Korea.
  • 3Department of Internal Medicine, Kangwon National University Hospital, Chuncheon, Korea.

Abstract

Percutaneous needle aspiration biopsy is a relatively simple and safe procedure for the diagnosis of lung and mediastinal lesions. Systemic air embolism during and after percutaneous needle aspiration biopsy of the lung is very rare; however, it is still a complication that can cause fatal outcomes, such as cerebral infarction and myocardial infarction. Here, we report a 72-year-old woman who suffered a change in consciousness immediately after receiving a percutaneous needle aspiration biopsy for the pathologic examination of pulmonary nodules found during a routine health medical examination. She had left side weakness and ST segment elevation on an electrocardiogram. After a high concentration of oxygen, she recovered from neurological symptoms and electrocardiographic abnormalities. The authors report a case of air embolism occurring simultaneously in the brain and coronary arteries after percutaneous needle aspiration biopsy.

Keyword

Embolism; Air; Intracranial embolism; Biopsy; Needle

MeSH Terms

Aged
Biopsy
Biopsy, Needle*
Brain
Cerebral Infarction
Consciousness
Coronary Vessels
Diagnosis
Electrocardiography
Embolism
Embolism, Air*
Fatal Outcome
Female
Humans
Intracranial Embolism
Lung*
Myocardial Infarction
Needles*
Oxygen
Oxygen
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