Cerebral gas embolism is an unusual but extremely serious condition that occurs when air is introduced into the arterial or venous circulation of the brain. Although rare, it can lead to significant neurological deficits and even the death of the patient.
76-year-old patient with pre-existing diffuse interstitial lung disease, who experienced a massive stroke due to spontaneous pneumomediastinum. Her presentation included confusion, seizures, and motor weakness. Imaging tests revealed air bubbles in the cerebral sulci and hypodense areas in the cerebellum and parietooccipitals. In addition, pneumothorax and air in the upper mediastinum were noted on chest radiographs and chest CT scan. Despite therapeutic measures such as hyperbaric oxygen, the patient unfortunately died due to multiple organ failure.
The diagnosis of cerebral gas embolism generally involves performing a cerebral computed tomography, which is highly sensitive for detecting the presence of air in the cerebral vessels. Management includes monitoring of vital and neurological signs, as well as specific measures such as airway closure, venous catheter aspiration, Trendelenburg positioning, and hyperbaric oxygen.
Cerebral gas embolism is a potentially fatal condition that requires a brain computed tomography for diagnosis and it is vitally important to know the prevention measures to avoid the appearance of this complication and also to know the general measures to adopt when it occurs.
La embolia gaseosa cerebral es una afección inusual pero extremadamente grave que se produce cuando se introduce aire en la circulación arterial o venosa del cerebro. Aunque poco común, puede derivar en déficits neurológicos significativos e incluso la muerte del paciente.
Paciente de 76 años con una enfermedad pulmonar intersticial difusa preexistente, que experimentó un ictus masivo debido a un neumomediastino espontáneo. Su presentación incluyó confusión, convulsiones y debilidad motora. Las pruebas de imagen revelaron burbujas de aire en los surcos cerebrales y áreas hipodensas en el cerebelo y parietooccipitales. Además, se observó neumotórax y aire en el mediastino superior en las radiografías de tórax y la tomografía torácica. A pesar de las medidas terapéuticas como el oxígeno hiperbárico, la paciente lamentablemente falleció debido al fallo multiorgánico.
El diagnóstico de embolia gaseosa cerebral generalmente implica la realización de una tomografía computarizada cerebral, que es altamente sensible para detectar la presencia de aire en los vasos cerebrales. El manejo incluye el control de las constantes vitales y neurológicas, así como medidas específicas como cierre de la entrada de aire, aspiración de catéteres venosos, posicionamiento de Trendelenburg y oxígeno hiperbárico.
La embolia gaseosa cerebral es una afección potencialmente mortal que requiere una tomografía computarizada cerebral para el diagnóstico y de vital importancia conocer las medidas de prevención para evitar la aparición de esta complicación y así mismo conocer las medidas generales a adoptar cuando ésta se presenta.

BACKGROUND: Although rare, paradoxical embolism sometimes occurs with patent ductus arteriosus (PDA). This study presents a case of PDA-associated paradoxical embolism with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) and pulmonary embolism (PE) following thoracoscopic surgery.
METHODS: A 65-year-old woman developed acute-onset aphasia and right hemiparesis on the third day following thoracoscopic resection for a right lung tumor. Brain magnetic resonance imaging revealed multiple infarcts, and lower extremity venous Doppler ultrasound revealed deep vein thrombosis. The patient subsequently developed dyspnea, tachycardia, and hypoxemia. PE was confirmed by percutaneous transfemoral venous selective pulmonary angiography, which meanwhile demonstrated a PDA lesion. The patient, after receiving catheter-directed thrombolysis and inferior vena cava filter placement, improved in both neurological and respiratory status.
CONCLUSIONS: For an uncommon but potentially fatal case with PDA-induced paradoxical embolism causing AIS and PE, early recognition and treatment are vital. Further studies are warranted to determine the optimal management and prognosis of patients with PDA-related embolic events.

暂无摘要。

Cerebral embolism presents a significant challenge for recovery of motor and neurological function. Early integrated rehabilitation therapy (EIRT) has been proposed as a beneficial approach, yet its efficacy requires thorough evaluation. This retrospective study, conducted from January 2020 to January 2023, involved 117 patient\'s post-cerebral embolism, divided into an EIRT group (n = 56) receiving EIRT and a control group (n = 61) receiving standard care. The Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA) and the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) were used to evaluate motor and neurological functions, while muscle strength was categorized from Level 0 (complete paralysis) to Level V (normal strength) to assess physical recovery. Eligibility centered on confirmed cerebral embolism diagnosis, timing of poststroke admission, and baseline functional status. The study adhered to strict ethical standards, with informed consent obtained from all participants. The EIRT group showed substantial improvements in both FMA and NIHSS scores compared to the control group, indicating better motor and neurological recovery. Significant differences were found in the posttreatment FMA (P < .01) and NIHSS scores (P < .01). Muscle strength analysis further confirmed the positive impact of EIRT with more patients in the EIRT group achieving higher levels of muscle strength at discharge. The study demonstrates the potential of EIRT to significantly improve motor and neurological outcomes for patient\'s post-cerebral embolism. The marked improvements in the observation group suggest that EIRT should be considered for broader application in stroke rehabilitation to enhance recovery and improve quality of life.

UNASSIGNED: Identifying the etiology of acute ischemic stroke (AIS) before endovascular treatment (EVT) is important but challenging. In CT perfusion imaging processed by perfusion software, we observed a phenomenon called patchy profile sign (PPS), that is, the hypoperfusion morphology in RAPID software is a discontinuous sheet pattern. This phenomenon is predominantly observed in patients diagnosed with intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis (ICAS). The study intends to assess whether the PPS can be used to differentiate ICAS from intracranial embolism.
UNASSIGNED: Patients with AIS due to M1 segment occlusion of the MCA who underwent mechanical thrombectomy were retrospectively enrolled. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed to assess the value of PPS in predicting ICAS. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and accuracy of the PPS for prediction of ICAS were calculated.
UNASSIGNED: A total of 51 patients were included in the study. The PPS was observed in 10 of 19 (52.6%) patients with ICAS, and in 2 of 32 (6.3%) patients with intracranial embolism (p < 0.001). Interobserver agreement for identifying PPS was excellent (κ = 0.944). The sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV, and accuracy of the PPS for predicting ICAS were 52.6, 93.8, 83.3, 76.9, and 78.4%, respectively.
UNASSIGNED: The PPS on RAPID software is an imaging marker with high specificity for ICAS. Larger sample sizes are imperative to validate the findings.

暂无摘要。

暂无摘要。

BACKGROUND: Careful selection of patients for carotid stenting is necessary. We suggest that patients with a shaggy aorta syndrome may be at higher risk for perioperative embolic complications.
METHODS: The study is a retrospective subanalysis of the SIBERIA Trial. We included 72 patients undergoing transfemoral carotid artery stenting. Patients were monitored during the procedures using multifrequency transcranial Doppler with embolus detection and differentiation. Pre- and postprocedural (2 and 30 days) cerebral diffusion-weighted cerebral MRIs were performed.
RESULTS: Forty-six patients had shaggy aorta syndrome. Intraoperative embolisms were recorded in 82.6% and 46.1% of patients with and without shaggy aorta syndrome, respectively (P=0.001). New asymptomatic ischemic brain lesions in the postoperative period occurred in 78.3% and in 26.9% of patients with and without shaggy aorta syndrome, respectively (P<0.001). There were no cases of stroke within 2 days in both groups. 3 (6.5%) cases of stroke within 30 days after the procedure were observed only in patients with shaggy aorta syndrome. There were no cases of contralateral stroke. Shaggy aorta syndrome (OR 5.54 [1.83:16.7], P=0.001) and aortic arch ulceration (OR 6.67 [1.19: 37.3], P=0.02) were independently associated with cerebral embolism. Shaggy aorta syndrome (OR 9.77 [3.14-30.37], P<0.001) and aortic arch ulceration (OR 12.9 [2.3: 72.8], P=0.003) were independently associated with ipsilateral new asymptomatic ischemic brain lesions.
CONCLUSIONS: Shaggy aorta syndrome and aortic arch ulceration significantly increase the odds of intraoperative embolism and new asymptomatic ischemic brain lesions. Carotid endarterectomy or transcervical carotid stent should be selected in patients with shaggy aorta syndrome.

Cerebral fat embolism (CFE) syndrome is a known complication that can occur following polytrauma, particularly in cases involving fractures of long bones, but cardiac arrest is a rare presentation following cerebral fat embolization.1 Our patient met with a road traffic accident (RTA), sustaining multiple long bones injuries with hypovolemic shock. After 10 hours of admission and achieving hemodynamic stability, the patient developed cerebral fat embolization. He developed sudden cardiac arrest and was resuscitated. We instituted ventilator support, inotropic infusion, antibiotics, and intravenous (IV) fluids. Our patient regained consciousness without neurological deficit over a period of 10 days and underwent surgery for all three major fractures with due precautions. The patient was discharged after 3 weeks of treatment from the hospital. How to cite this article: Rathod N, Rathod V, Parikh B, et al. Rare Presentation of a Patient with Cardiac Arrest Due to Cerebral Fat Embolization Following Polytrauma. J Assoc Physicians India 2023;71(11):89-93.

暂无摘要。