Gas Embolism in Hyaline-Membrane Disease

POSITIVE-pressure ventilation is commonly used to support respiration in newly born infants with respiratory insufficiency. Recently, we encountered an infant with severe hyaline-membrane disease who died suddenly during ventilation. We believe the probable cause of death to be a pulmonary venous gas embolus, and report this case to alert others to its possible occurrence.Case ReportA 1700-gm male infant was born after 31 weeks' gestation to a 36-year-old, Rh-negative woman. The Apgar scores at 1 and 5 minutes were 1 and 4 respectively. The child's trachea was intubated, and controlled positive-pressure ventilation begun. Catheters were placed in the descending . . .