Successful use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in a patient with catastrophic air embolism: A case report

Air embolism is a rare but life-threatening complication during computed tomography (CT)-guided lung procedures. We report a 58-year-old female with a history of minimally invasive adenocarcinoma of the right lung post-surgical resection. She decided to receive CT-guided cryotherapy for the two persistent ground-glass nodules in the left lung. During needle placement, a large amount of air was noted in the left ventricle and descending aorta and ventricular tachycardia was found suddenly. With cardiopulmonary resuscitation and cardioversion, the patient recovered blood pressure and emergent veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) was instituted because of weak heart motion. The patient regained consciousness and was successfully weaned off ECMO and extubated after treatment. She was discharged without neurological sequelae. This case highlights the importance of early recognition and management of air embolism during CT-guided lung procedures. Rapid intervention, including ECMO, is crucial for patient survival, with the potential for full recovery without neurological impairment.