Cerebral air embolism. Report of five cases and review of the literature.

We discuss five patients who had cerebral air embolisms. Clinically, these patients had early seizures, focal neurological findings, or failure to awaken from anesthesia. The patients that survived had minimal neurological deficits. We also discuss the pathophysiology of cerebral air embolism and its differentiation from "the bends." The necessity for recognizing this entity early is important in order to administer appropriate therapy.