Edwardson Matthew, Wurth Denise, Lacy J Matthew, Fink James, Becker Kyra
Department of Neurology, University of Washington Medical Center, 359775 HMC, 325 9th Ave, Seattle, WA 98104-2499, USA.
Neurocrit Care. 2009;10(2):218-21. doi: 10.1007/s12028-008-9126-3. Epub 2008 Aug 12.
Cerebral air embolism is a rare cause of stroke, but may occur in patients undergoing invasive cardiac and pulmonary procedures, as well as in divers suffering pulmonary barotrauma from rapid ascent. Cerebral air embolism during air travel, however, is particularly rare.
We present a case of a previously healthy gentleman who presented with an acute stroke after a commercial flight; the stroke was initially felt to be of cardioembolic origin. A large intrapulmonary cyst was noted on his imaging studies, but thought to be an incidental finding. During a return flight, he suffered another stroke and was found to have cerebral air emboli.
This case suggests the importance of considering cerebral air embolism in patients with stroke associated with air travel; restricting air travel in patients with intrapulmonary cysts may be prudent.
脑空气栓塞是一种罕见的中风病因，但可能发生在接受侵入性心脏和肺部手术的患者中，也可能发生在因快速上升而遭受肺气压伤的潜水员身上。然而，航空旅行期间发生的脑空气栓塞尤为罕见。
我们报告一例既往健康的男性，在乘坐商业航班后出现急性中风；最初认为该中风是心源性栓塞所致。其影像学检查发现一个大的肺内囊肿，但认为是偶然发现。在返程航班上，他再次中风，被发现患有脑空气栓塞。
该病例提示在与航空旅行相关的中风患者中考虑脑空气栓塞的重要性；对患有肺内囊肿的患者限制航空旅行可能是谨慎的做法。
