Air Embolism after Percutaneous Lung Biopsy or Ablation: A Report of Six Cases

Authors

Rebecca Choi
Haylie Kieu-Mi Phan
Varshana Gurusamy
Rahul A Sheth
Bruno C Odisio
Kelvin Hong
Alda L Tam

Publication Date

5-1-2025

Journal

Radiology: Imaging Cancer

DOI

10.1148/rycan.240379

PMID

40183669

PMCID

PMC12130690

PubMedCentral® Posted Date

4-4-2025

PubMedCentral® Full Text Version

Post-print

Abstract

Systemic air embolism is a rare but potentially life-threatening complication of percutaneous lung biopsy and ablation. This report describes six patients (four male, two female) with air embolism following CT-guided lung interventions at two institutions between January 2021 and March 2024. Air embolisms were identified in locations such as the pulmonary vein, left ventricle, and coronary arteries, with clinical presentations ranging from asymptomatic to life-threatening events. Prompt intervention, including oxygen therapy, patient repositioning, and intravenous administration of epinephrine in cases of cardiac arrest, resulted in favorable outcomes. This series highlights the importance of early detection of systemic air embolism and tailored management strategies based on its anatomic location to mitigate risk of serious adverse events.

Keywords

Humans, Embolism, Air, Male, Female, Middle Aged, Aged, Lung, Tomography, X-Ray Computed, Image-Guided Biopsy, Lung Neoplasms, Ablation Techniques, Interventional-Body, Complications, Ablation Techniques (Radiofrequency, Thermal, Chemical), Biopsy/Needle Aspiration, Lung, Electrocardiogram, Interventional-Body; Complications; Ablation Techniques (Radiofrequency, Thermal, Chemical); Biopsy/Needle Aspiration; Lung; Electrocardiogram

Published Open-Access

yes

Recommended Citation

Choi, Rebecca; Phan, Haylie Kieu-Mi; Gurusamy, Varshana; et al., "Air Embolism after Percutaneous Lung Biopsy or Ablation: A Report of Six Cases" (2025). Faculty, Staff and Student Publications. 5054.
https://digitalcommons.library.tmc.edu/uthgsbs_docs/5054