ArticleCase reports in critical care2025
Simple Mistakes Causing Catastrophic Complications: Central Venous Catheter Removal Leading to Cerebral Air Embolism.
Article in Case reports in critical care, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed.
- Fatal Cerebral Air Embolism Following Central Venous Catheter Mishandling in a Stroke Patient: A Case Report.Case reports in critical care · 2026Article
- Simple Mistakes Causing Catastrophic Complications: Central Venous Catheter Removal Leading to Cerebral Air Embolism.Case reports in critical care · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Central venous catheters (CVCs) are commonly placed in patients in critical care units (CCUs) for a variety of reasons. Indications for CVC placement include rapid volume resuscitation, central venous pressure monitoring, venous access in patients with severe vascular disease, hemodialysis, and the need for the administration of vasoactive/bioactive medications. The placement of a CVC, however, does not come without risks to the patient, and one must keep these complications in mind. A 66-year-old male with Stage IV chronic kidney disease was admitted for dehydration secondary to diarrhea and was started on intravenous fluid resuscitation. During his eventful hospital course, the patient was transferred to the CCU, where a right internal jugular CVC was placed with eventual removal. A few minutes after removal, the patient was found to be poorly responsive, diaphoretic, and noted to have neurologic findings. A computed tomography scan of the head and a computed tomography angiogram of the head and neck revealed air within the subarachnoid space, subtle parenchymal hypodensity along the right cerebral cortex, and air inside the jugular and vertebral venous system. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain revealed air within the cavernous sinuses, cortical veins, and dural sinuses. The patient was treated with aspirin and statin therapy given stroke-like symptoms, with eventual improvement and discharge. Air embolism (AE) is an uncommon and dangerous complication that can result from various reasons, such as trauma, surgery, septal defects, or barotrauma. In this case, the AE was a devastating complication of a CVC. They can occur at various portions of the insertion and removal process. AE may cause cardiopulmonary distress and/or neurologic symptoms. Given the clinical context, a high level of suspicion is required to diagnose cerebral AE. This unfortunate event highlights the dangerous complications of a routine procedure. Early diagnosis and clinical suspicion of AE decrease morbidity and mortality.
Identifiers
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.