Air in the heart: what should one do?

Air embolism is a serious and frequently underrecognized complication of vascular access device placement. Improper precautions during vascular catheter insertion result in inadvertent introduction of air into the vasculature. Systemic embolization into the cerebral, pulmonary, and coronary circulations can be catastrophic. We present a case of intracardiac air embolism after placement of a central venous catheter managed conservatively.