Abstract
This article describes a clinical observation made during thoracic spinal surgery in two dogs, leading to the suspicion of venous air embolism (VAE) through the ventral internal vertebral venous plexus.
Air bubbling from the pool of blood on the floor of the vertebral canal was observed in both cases accompanied with sudden cardiopulmonary disturbances – low end-tidal carbon dioxide pressure (PETCO2), tachycardia and SpO2 reduction. One case had dyspnoea as well. One case died. Similar observations have been made in human patients during spinal surgery, with fatal consequences in nearly 50% of cases.
Venous air embolism can spontaneously occur in dogs during thoracic spinal surgery and our aim is to raise awareness of this intra-operative, potentially fatal, complication.
Air bubbling from the pool of blood on the floor of the vertebral canal was observed in both cases accompanied with sudden cardiopulmonary disturbances – low end-tidal carbon dioxide pressure (PETCO2), tachycardia and SpO2 reduction. One case had dyspnoea as well. One case died. Similar observations have been made in human patients during spinal surgery, with fatal consequences in nearly 50% of cases.
Venous air embolism can spontaneously occur in dogs during thoracic spinal surgery and our aim is to raise awareness of this intra-operative, potentially fatal, complication.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 355-358 |
| Number of pages | 4 |
| Journal | Journal of Small Animal Practice |
| Volume | 58 |
| Issue number | 6 |
| Early online date | 10 Apr 2017 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Jun 2017 |
Keywords
- canine
- ventral internal venous plexus of the spine
- spinal
- neurosurgery
- air embolism