Abstract
A 69-year-old woman underwent hyperbaric oxygen therapy because of a nonhealing ulcer of her foot. During decompression, she developed a left-sided hemiplegia and confusion. Recompression resulted in transient neurologic improvement, but she eventually became comatose. Ventricular dysrhythmias developed and she died without regaining consciousness 17 h after onset of symptoms. An autopsy revealed diffuse interstitial pulmonary fibrosis with severe paracicatricial emphysema, chronic interstitial inflammation, and chronic bronchitis with abundant intrabronchial mucus. There was extensive multifocal ischemic injury of the cerebral cortex. The hippocampi, basal ganglia, and cerebellum were spared. Scattered acute myofiber necrosis was present in the heart. Clinical presentation and autopsy findings strongly support the diagnosis of air embolism and illustrate a potential risk of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in patients with preexisting pulmonary disease.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 149-153 |
| Number of pages | 5 |
| Journal | American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology |
| Volume | 11 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| State | Published - 1990 |
| Externally published | Yes |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Medicine (miscellaneous)
- Pathology and Forensic Medicine
- Law
Cite this
Barotrauma and air embolism in hyperbaric oxygen therapy. / Wolf, H. K.; Moon, R. E.; Mitchell, P. R.; Burger, P. C.
In: American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology, Vol. 11, No. 2, 1990, p. 149-153.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Barotrauma and air embolism in hyperbaric oxygen therapy
AU - Wolf, H. K.
AU - Moon, R. E.
AU - Mitchell, P. R.
AU - Burger, P. C.
PY - 1990
Y1 - 1990
N2 - A 69-year-old woman underwent hyperbaric oxygen therapy because of a nonhealing ulcer of her foot. During decompression, she developed a left-sided hemiplegia and confusion. Recompression resulted in transient neurologic improvement, but she eventually became comatose. Ventricular dysrhythmias developed and she died without regaining consciousness 17 h after onset of symptoms. An autopsy revealed diffuse interstitial pulmonary fibrosis with severe paracicatricial emphysema, chronic interstitial inflammation, and chronic bronchitis with abundant intrabronchial mucus. There was extensive multifocal ischemic injury of the cerebral cortex. The hippocampi, basal ganglia, and cerebellum were spared. Scattered acute myofiber necrosis was present in the heart. Clinical presentation and autopsy findings strongly support the diagnosis of air embolism and illustrate a potential risk of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in patients with preexisting pulmonary disease.
AB - A 69-year-old woman underwent hyperbaric oxygen therapy because of a nonhealing ulcer of her foot. During decompression, she developed a left-sided hemiplegia and confusion. Recompression resulted in transient neurologic improvement, but she eventually became comatose. Ventricular dysrhythmias developed and she died without regaining consciousness 17 h after onset of symptoms. An autopsy revealed diffuse interstitial pulmonary fibrosis with severe paracicatricial emphysema, chronic interstitial inflammation, and chronic bronchitis with abundant intrabronchial mucus. There was extensive multifocal ischemic injury of the cerebral cortex. The hippocampi, basal ganglia, and cerebellum were spared. Scattered acute myofiber necrosis was present in the heart. Clinical presentation and autopsy findings strongly support the diagnosis of air embolism and illustrate a potential risk of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in patients with preexisting pulmonary disease.
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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0025351490&partnerID=8YFLogxK
M3 - Article
C2 - 2343842
AN - SCOPUS:0025351490
VL - 11
SP - 149
EP - 153
JO - American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology
JF - American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology
SN - 0195-7910
IS - 2
ER -