Air bubbles in the brain: retrograde venous gas embolism in the cavernous sinus

Abstract

We present a rare case of cavernous sinuses air embolism occurring after peripheral venous catheterization. This 44-year-old lady followed for idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura was referred to our service for vomiting and critical headaches after blood transfusion for her thrombocytopenia. Having been submitted to a brain computed tomography, this later showed air bubbles in bilateral cavernous sinuses related to cavernous sinuses gas embolism. This condition, which remains purely unusual could be fatal, where the ultimate importance that the radiologists and clinicians to be fully aware of.

Keywords

• Venous
• embolism
• brain
• cavernous sinuses
• CT