Ocular Venous Air Embolism: A Report of 5 Cases

Autor: Maurice S. Albin, Matthew H Oltmanns, Mathew R Sapp, Gwendolyn L. Boyd, Robert Morris, Ferenc Kuhn
Rok vydání: 2019
Předmět:
Zdroj: Journal of VitreoRetinal Diseases. 3:107-110
ISSN: 2474-1272
2474-1264
Popis: Purpose: The purpose of this case series is to report 5 new cases of ocular venous air embolism (OVAE). We define OVAE as a precipitous drop in end-tidal carbon dioxide, a choroidal detachment, or a choroidal wound, followed by signs of impending or actual cardiovascular collapse, during vitrectomy air infusion. Methods: A case report series was retrospectively reviewed. Results: Four of the 5 OVAE cases (80%) were fatal, occurring in conjunction with repair of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (2 cases); a large surgical wound of the choroid (1 case); and vitrectomy repair of an injured eye (1 case). One patient survived OVAE during choroidal melanoma endoresection after prompt discontinuance of air infusion by anesthesia personnel previously alerted to the OVAE risk. Conclusions: OVAE is a rare but usually fatal complication of air infusion into the eye during vitrectomy. Because the effective response time to avoid a fatal OVAE outcome can be less than 1 minute, use of preventive measures is critical.
Databáze: OpenAIRE