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| ==Overview== | | ==Overview== |
| An ''air embolism'', or more generally ''gas embolism'', is a medical condition caused by [[gas]] bubbles in the bloodstream (''[[embolism]]'' in a medical context refers to any large moving mass or defect in the blood stream). Small amounts of air may enter the blood [[circulation]] during [[surgery]], other invasive medical procedures, or deep sea diving. There are two types of air embolisms: [[venous]] or [[arterial]]. [[venous]] air [[embolism|embolisms]] rarely present with [[symptom]]s. Symptoms or death mainly occur in the arterial system. Symptoms may occur in the venous system, if a large bubble of gas becomes lodged in the heart, stopping blood from flowing from the right [[Ventricle (heart)|ventricle]] to the [[lungs]] (this is similar to vapor lock in engine fuel systems). However, the amount of gas necessary for this to happen is quite variable, and also depends on a number of other factors, such as body position.
| | There is no official classification system for air [[embolism]], but it can be classified into 2 types based on its location. |
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| Gas embolism into an [[artery]], termed [[artery|arterial]] gas [[embolism]], or AGE, is a more severe diagnosis than [[venous]] air [[embolism]], since a gas bubble in an [[artery]] may directly cause [[ischemia]] to an area fed by the [[artery]]. The [[symptom]]s of AGE depend on the [[artery]] and the organs that it supplies. For example,a [[stroke]] or a [[myocardial infarction|heart attack]] may occur if the brain or heart (respectively) are affected.
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| [[Decompression sickness]] (DCS) is a [[diving disorders|diving disorder]] that SCUBA divers sometimes suffer when they have [[barotrauma|pressure damage]] to their lungs following a rapid ascent where the breath is inappropriately held against a closed [[glottis]], allowing pressure to build up inside the lungs, relative to the blood. It is termed "gas" because the diver may be using a diving [[breathing gas]] other than [[air]]. The gas bubbles can impede the flow of oxygen-rich blood to the brain and other vital organs. They can also cause [[clot]]s to form in [[blood]] [[vessel]]s.
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| Gas [[embolism]] and [[decompression sickness]] (DCS) have similar [[symptom]]s, especially in the [[central nervous system]]. The treatment for both is the same, because they are both the result of gas bubbles in the body.
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| ==Classification== | | ==Classification== |
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
Overview
There is no official classification system for air embolism, but it can be classified into 2 types based on its location.
Classification
- Air embolism may be classified according to location into 2 subtypes:
References
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