Once there is a story about the murder by injection of a blank that is injected into the path of blood vessels. Injections that do not contain the empty alias turned off because when there are air bubbles injected into the blood vessel.Why air bubbles entering the blood vessels can be lethal?
The presence of air bubbles into the blood vessel it can inhibit blood flow. So that when someone is being infused or transfusion usually must be replaced before the fluid is completely discharged. This is because if any air bubbles that enter the body can be harmful even to the cause of death.
If there are air bubbles that enter the body and lodged in blood vessels can cause obstructed blood flow, this condition is known as emboli. This can be dangerous because the blood used for transporting oxygen throughout the body.
If the embolism occurs, the supply of blood to the body's major organs such as brain, lungs or heart to be blocked. If not promptly treated can lead to organ failure and even death.
In the past air embolism in venous blood vessels associated with neurosurgical procedures performed in a sitting position. Venous air embolism but it can also be associated with the process of central venous catheterization, blunt trauma to the chest, a medical high-pressure ventilation, hemodialysis and blood vessels some invasive procedures.
In general, a small number of the incoming air does not cause symptoms. But on certain conditions of air embolism can cause problems as quoted from emedicine.medscape.com, Thursday (04/14/2011), namely:
1. If there are more than 5ml/kg air entering the venous blood vessels can cause significant injuries such as shock or heart failure.
2. Injections of 2-3 ml of air into the circulation of the brain can be fatal
3. If air bubbles enter quickly and in large size causes spasms in the right ventricle that increases the pressure in the pulmonary artery.
4. If a large volume of incoming air (more than 30mL/kg/menit) into the venous circulatory system would interfere with the screening process in the lung blood vessels so that cellular changes.
Effect of air embolism on pulmonary blood vessels can lead to serious changes in inflammation and endothelial damage and accumulation of platelets, fibrin, neutrophils and fat droplets.
Apart from air bubbles, emboli can also be caused by other factors such as blood clots are not dissolved but inhibiting the flow of blood, fat embolism usually occurs after burns or surgery complications and embolism due to cholesterol buildup.
To overcome this embolism depends on the type, how big these barriers as well as parts of the body where the occurrence of embolism.
If occurs in lung regions then require medical treatment. Handling operations can be carried out or suck out embolism.