Cortical Blindness and Altered Mental Status following Routine Hemodialysis, a Case of Iatrogenic Cerebral Air Embolism

Cortical Blindness and Altered Mental Status following Routine Hemodialysis, a Case of Iatrogenic Cerebral Air Embolism

Cerebral air embolism is a known complication from a myriad of iatrogenic causes. This case describes a 60-year-old female presenting from hemodialysis with altered mental status, bilateral homonymous hemianopia, and repetitive speech. A noncontrast head CT revealed air in the vein of Galen and the...

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Main Authors: Lawrence Lau, Kory London
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Hindawi Limited 2018-01-01
Series:Case Reports in Emergency Medicine
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2018/9496818
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spelling doaj-b992fe79fadb4e849901baefd0cc4ac32020-11-24T22:21:05ZengHindawi LimitedCase Reports in Emergency Medicine2090-648X2090-64982018-01-01201810.1155/2018/94968189496818Cortical Blindness and Altered Mental Status following Routine Hemodialysis, a Case of Iatrogenic Cerebral Air EmbolismLawrence Lau0Kory London1Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, 1020 Sansom Street, Room 1651, Thompson Building, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USAThomas Jefferson University Hospital, 1020 Sansom Street, Room 1651, Thompson Building, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USACerebral air embolism is a known complication from a myriad of iatrogenic causes. This case describes a 60-year-old female presenting from hemodialysis with altered mental status, bilateral homonymous hemianopia, and repetitive speech. A noncontrast head CT revealed air in the vein of Galen and the deep cerebral veins of the left thalamus and occipital sulcus, a complication from air being introduced into the patient via improper flushing of dialysis tubing. The retrograde flow of air bubbles in the upright patient during dialysis was likely responsible for the air embolus lodging in the cerebral vasculature. This patient was transferred to receive hyperbaric therapy, whereupon the patient survived with residual attention and spatial deficits.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2018/9496818
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Lawrence Lau
Kory London
spellingShingle Lawrence Lau
Kory London
Cortical Blindness and Altered Mental Status following Routine Hemodialysis, a Case of Iatrogenic Cerebral Air Embolism
Case Reports in Emergency Medicine
author_facet Lawrence Lau
Kory London
author_sort Lawrence Lau
title Cortical Blindness and Altered Mental Status following Routine Hemodialysis, a Case of Iatrogenic Cerebral Air Embolism
title_short Cortical Blindness and Altered Mental Status following Routine Hemodialysis, a Case of Iatrogenic Cerebral Air Embolism
title_full Cortical Blindness and Altered Mental Status following Routine Hemodialysis, a Case of Iatrogenic Cerebral Air Embolism
title_fullStr Cortical Blindness and Altered Mental Status following Routine Hemodialysis, a Case of Iatrogenic Cerebral Air Embolism
title_full_unstemmed Cortical Blindness and Altered Mental Status following Routine Hemodialysis, a Case of Iatrogenic Cerebral Air Embolism
title_sort cortical blindness and altered mental status following routine hemodialysis, a case of iatrogenic cerebral air embolism
publisher Hindawi Limited
series Case Reports in Emergency Medicine
issn 2090-648X
2090-6498
publishDate 2018-01-01
description Cerebral air embolism is a known complication from a myriad of iatrogenic causes. This case describes a 60-year-old female presenting from hemodialysis with altered mental status, bilateral homonymous hemianopia, and repetitive speech. A noncontrast head CT revealed air in the vein of Galen and the deep cerebral veins of the left thalamus and occipital sulcus, a complication from air being introduced into the patient via improper flushing of dialysis tubing. The retrograde flow of air bubbles in the upright patient during dialysis was likely responsible for the air embolus lodging in the cerebral vasculature. This patient was transferred to receive hyperbaric therapy, whereupon the patient survived with residual attention and spatial deficits.
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2018/9496818
work_keys_str_mv AT lawrencelau corticalblindnessandalteredmentalstatusfollowingroutinehemodialysisacaseofiatrogeniccerebralairembolism
AT korylondon corticalblindnessandalteredmentalstatusfollowingroutinehemodialysisacaseofiatrogeniccerebralairembolism
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