What is Air Embolism?
An air embolism is a medical condition characterized by a bubble in the bloodstream. Air embolisms are more properly termed “gas embolisms,” since the gas involved does not necessarily need to be air. Depending on the size of an air embolism, it can cause a variety of problems, ranging chest pain to death, and it is important to treat embolisms if they are suspected to avoid long-term complications or death. A number of things can lead to an air embolism. Trauma, for example, can introduce air into the bloodstream, as can some surgical procedures, and air in intravenous lines or syringes. Diving also puts people at risk for a type of air embolism called an arterial gas embolism. As the bubble enters the bloodstream, it occludes it, obstructing the flow of blood. The embolism may also travel, cutting off blood flow to various organs, and potentially reaching the heart and causing a fatal disruption of cardiac function. Someone with an air embolism will generally develop cardiac problems
