POCUS Leading to a Diagnosis of Paradoxical Air Embolism in Cardiac Arrest
ePoster
Authors: Jonathan Henricks, The Ohio State University Michael Prats, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center Matthew Barraza, The Ohio State Wexner Medical Center
A 59 year-old male with recent history of tracheostomy, stroke, and renal failure, was admitted with necrotizing pneumonia. On hospital day three, he became unresponsive after hemodialysis and was found to have a diffuse cerebral air emboli, with recent transesophageal showing no patent foramen ovale. On hospital day four, just prior to treatment with hyperbaric oxygen, the patient suffered a cardiac arrest and was found to have left-sided intracardiac bubbles, concerning for paradoxical air emboli. Rapid identification of this condition is paramount to preventing morbidity and mortality. Here we discuss the imaging findings from our case, as well as the recommended treatment for this condition. Point-of-care ultrasound can be a valuable tool in the evaluation for intracardiac air in unstable patients.