Venous air embolism (VAE) can be a lethal complication of surgical procedures, during which (1) venous pressure at the site of surgery is subatmospheric or (2) gas is forced under pressure into a body cavity. Though classically associated with neurosurgery, VAE is also a potential complication of laparoscopic, pelvic, and orthopedic procedures. It is, therefore, essential for the practicing anesthesiologist to recognize and treat venous air entrainment. An in-depth review of the pathophysiology, clinical presentation, detection, prevention, and treatment of VAE is presented.
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Palmon et al. (1997) studied this question.
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