Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-jkksz Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-26T09:29:08.486Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Pulmonary lipiodol embolism during transcatheter arterial chemoembolization for hepatoblastoma under general anaesthesia

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 August 2006

K. Yamaura ,
M. Higashi ,
K. Akiyoshi ,
Y. Itonaga ,
H. Inoue  and
S. Takahashi
K. Yamaura
Affiliation:
Department of Anaesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashiku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan
M. Higashi
Affiliation:
Department of Anaesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashiku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan
K. Akiyoshi
Affiliation:
Department of Anaesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashiku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan
Y. Itonaga
Affiliation:
Department of Anaesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashiku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan
H. Inoue
Affiliation:
Department of Anaesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashiku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan
S. Takahashi
Affiliation:
Department of Anaesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashiku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan
Get access

Abstract

We present a case of pulmonary embolism that occurred during the injection of lipiodol during transcatheter arterial chemoembolization under general anaesthesia. A 7-year-old child suffering from a large hepatoblastoma was admitted for arterial chemoembolization and carcinostatic administration. Pulmonary embolism due to lipiodol during arterial chemoembolization was evident by a sudden fall in oxyhaemoglobin saturation from 100 to 90%. This was associated with a spread of lipiodol into both lungs, particularly the middle lung zones and detected by chest fluoroscopy. Arterial blood gases returned to normal values 1 day later but pulmonary infiltration persisted for 7 days before final clearance. Pulmonary embolism caused by lipiodol during arterial chemoembolization is infrequent, but such a complication could prove fatal. Understanding the risk of pulmonary embolism in patients receiving lipiodol, during and after arterial chemoembolization, and late onset pulmonary injury is important and a close follow-up for several days after arterial chemoembolization is advisable.

Keywords

radiologyinterventionalembolismpulmonary embolismcontrast mediaiodized oilmonitoringintraoperativepulse oximetryintraoperative complicationspulmonary embolism
Type
Clinical Letter
Information
European Journal of Anaesthesiology , Volume 17 , Issue 11 , November 2000 , pp. 704 - 708
Copyright
2000 European Society of Anaesthesiology

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)