Severe air embolism resulting from a perforated cap on a high-flow three-way stopcock connected to a central venous catheter

摘要

EDITOR:Case Report: A 41-yr-old white male, body mass index (BMI) 18, presented with a cholangiocarci-noma invading locally into the portal vein and was scheduled for an extended right hemi-hepatectomy. As part of the anaesthetic technique, a Gertofix Quinto central venous line (B Braun, Melsungen, Germany) was inserted into the right internal jugular vein under ultrasound guidance. A Smiths SC-3 high flow three-way stopcock (Smith's Medical, Rockland, MA, USA) was attached to the 12 g lumen of the central venous catheter (CVC) and to a Level 1 rapid infuser. The surgery proceeded for a period of 2 h at which point the tumour was found to be technically unresectable and the procedure was therefore abandoned. The patient was woken up and extubated in theatre and found to be comfortable with a good working thoracic epidural. Once awake, the patient was transferred to the post anaesthetic care unit (PACU) where his care was handed over to the recovery staff.