Intracranial gas on CT after Cardiopulmonary resuscitation : 4 cases

• Published in: Neuroradiology Vol. 40; no. 3; pp. 154 - 157
• Main Authors: IMANISHI, M, NISHIMURA, A, TABUSE, H, MIYAMOTO, S, SAKAKI, T, IWASAKI, S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin Springer 01.03.1998; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Anesthesia. Intensive care medicine. Transfusions. Cell therapy and gene therapy; Biological and medical sciences; Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation; Cranial Fossa, Posterior - diagnostic imaging; Embolism, Air - diagnostic imaging; Embolism, Air - etiology; Emergency and intensive cardiocirculatory care. Cardiogenic shock. Coronary intensive care; Humans; Intensive care medicine; Medical sciences; Pneumocephalus - diagnostic imaging; Pneumocephalus - etiology; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Human; Cavernous sinus; Intracranial; Intensive cardiocirculatory care; Nervous system diseases; Radiodiagnosis; Catheterization; Pathogenesis; Postmortem; Cardiovascular disease; Cerebral disorder; Vascular disease; Case study; Gases; Cerebral air embolism; Central nervous system disease; Medical imagery; Adult; Complication; Computerized axial tomography; Posterior fossa; Vein; Cerebrovascular disease
• ISSN: 0028-3940; 1432-1920
• DOI: 10.1007/s002340050557

We report four patients in whom gas was seen in the head on CT shortly after cardiopulmonary resuscitation. The gas was in the posterior cranial fossa, presumably within veins, or in the cavernous sinus. The cause of the cardiac arrest was myocardial infarction in three patients and hanging in one. All had peripheral or central venous lines. The mechanism by which gas appeared in the intracranial veins is discussed.