Cerebral Air Embolism during Hemodialysis: a case report

Air embolism is a dreadful complication of hemodialysis, with bad prognosis. We reported the case of a 49-year-old woman with a medical history of hypertension, and renal failure treated by regular hemodialysis via a right jugular catheter who admitted to the emergency department (ED) for altering her state of consciousness right at the end of the hemodialysis session. A brain computer tomography (CT) scan was performed, showing gas within the right frontal lobe, suggesting an intravascular location of air bubbles. The patient was intubated and she was then transferred for a hyperbaric oxygen therapy, but was dead within 24 hours