Ischaemic strokes caused by spontaneous cerebral air embolism, a rare complication of interstitial lung diseas

Abstract

Air embolism is a rare cause of ischaemic stroke. It is known that air can enter the cerebral arterial circulation from pulmonary venous circulation through a bronchovenous fistula, or in cases of pulmonary barotrauma in deep-sea diving. We describe a case of spontaneous cerebral air embolism against a background of advanced interstitial lung disease (ILD). To our knowledge, this case demonstrates a mechanism of stroke in ILD patients that has not been previously described.

Keywords

• cerebral air embolism
• stroke
• interstitial lung disease
• pneumomediastinum
• pneumothorax