PARADOXICAL AIR-EMBOLISM FROM A PATENT FORAMEN OVALE

Venous air embolism may be particularly hazardous in the patient who has a patent foramen ovale, for if right atrial pressure becomes greater than left, air can pass to the systemic circulation (paradoxical embolization). Systemic arterial embolization can result in occlusion of critical vascular beds with disastrous results. Two cases of paradoxical air embolism are described.