An air embolism is a medical condition characterized by a bubble in the bloodstream. Air embolisms are more appropriately called "gas embolisms" since the gas involved does not necessarily have to be air. Depending on the size of an air embolism, it can cause a variety of problems, ranging from chest pain to death, and it is important to treat embolisms if suspected to prevent long-term complications or death.
Several things can lead to an air embolism. Trauma, for example, can introduce air into the bloodstream, as can some surgical procedures, and air into intravenous lines or syringes. Diving also puts people at risk for a type of air embolism called arterial gas embolism. When the bubble enters the bloodstream, it occludes it, obstructing blood flow. The embolism can also travel, cutting off blood flow to various organs, potentially reaching the heart and causing fatal disruption of heart function.
Someone with an air embolism will usually develop heart problems, chest pain, pale skin, seizures, and an altered level of consciousness. If someone has participated in an activity that would put them at risk for an air embolism, a doctor may recommend that treatment begin immediately. Tests such as imaging studies and arterial blood gas tests may also be used to confirm the diagnosis.
In emergency treatment, a patient with suspected air embolism will often be placed in the Trendelenberg position, a tilted head-down position. It is designed to trap the air bubble at the apex of the ventricle, if it has reached the heart, and also slows down its travel, making the embolism less likely to reach the brain or heart. Pure oxygen can also be used in treatment, and the patient may require CPR if the embolism reaches the heart.
The best treatment for an air embolism is often a stay in a hyperbaric chamber. A hyperbaric chamber is a pressurized chamber that can be controlled by hospital staff. If a patient is placed in the chamber and the pressure is increased, the pressure will force the gases from the embolism to dissolve in the blood, clearing the embolism. The pressure can then be lowered slowly while the patient breathes a mixture of high-oxygen gases, allowing the body to slowly and safely express the gases so that the embolism does not recur.