Acute decompensation of patient following an outpatient CT-guided needle biopsy: A case report

Danielle Fall, PA-C; Tyler Smith, MD; Ann Marie Prazak, PharmD; Ziga Cizman, MD; Aidin Iravani, MD

Radiology Case Reports (Mar 2023)

Acute decompensation of patient following an outpatient CT-guided needle biopsy: A case report

Danielle Fall, PA-C,
Tyler Smith, MD,
Ann Marie Prazak, PharmD,
Ziga Cizman, MD,
Aidin Iravani, MD

Affiliations

Danielle Fall, PA-C: Department of Internal Medicine, Devision of Pulmonology and Critical Care Medicine, University of Utah School of Medicine, 50 N Medical Dr, Salt Lake City, UT 84132, USA
Tyler Smith, MD: Department of Interventional Radiology, University of Utah School of Medicine, 50 N Medical Dr, Salt Lake City, UT 84132, USA; Corresponding author.
Ann Marie Prazak, PharmD: Department of Pharmacy Services, University of Utah Health, University of Utah School of Medicine, 50 N Medical Dr, Salt Lake City, UT 84132, USA
Ziga Cizman, MD: Department of Interventional Radiology, University of Utah School of Medicine, 50 N Medical Dr, Salt Lake City, UT 84132, USA
Aidin Iravani, MD: Department of Internal Medicine, Devision of Pulmonology and Critical Care Medicine, University of Utah School of Medicine, 50 N Medical Dr, Salt Lake City, UT 84132, USA

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 18, no. 3
pp. 1261 – 1263

Abstract

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A 74-year-old female with history of type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and uterine adenocarcinoma presented for CT-guided lung biopsy that was ultimately complicated by an arterial air embolus requiring intensive care. Systemic air embolism is a very rare event but can be devastating. Prompt recognition can be difficult due to an often-vague presentation but is essential and should be considered upon rapid deterioration of a patient's status following high risk procedures. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is preferred; however, if this is unavailable, additional treatments are predominately supportive care with 100% supplemental oxygen, rapid volume expansion, and ionotropic medications as needed.

Published in Radiology Case Reports

ISSN: 1930-0433 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: United States
LCC subjects: Medicine: Medicine (General): Medical physics. Medical radiology. Nuclear medicine
Website: https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/radiology-case-reports

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