What happens if air gets into the blood. What happens if you inject air into a vein? How to do an injection? Some things that can lead to an air embolism

The air bubble (the medical term is embolism) moves with the blood flow first in the arteries, from there it enters smaller blood vessels and finally reaches the capillaries. An air embolism blocks arterioles and cuts off blood flow to a specific part of the body, causing severe oxygen starvation. But the most dangerous thing is when such an air bubble blocks the pulmonary, coronary (heart) or cerebral arteries - this leads to death. One of our friends died from the fact that she gave herself an intravenous injection, leaving air in the syringe through negligence (

When the solution for injection is drawn into a syringe, there is a risk that air bubbles will get into it. Before the introduction of the drug, the physician must release them.

Many patients are afraid that air can get into their blood vessels through a dropper or syringe. Is this situation dangerous? What happens if air enters a vein? You can find out about it by reading this article.

What happens when air enters a vein

The situation when a gas bubble enters a vessel and cuts off blood circulation is called an air embolism in medical terminology. This happens in rare cases.

If a person has a cardiovascular disease or air bubbles have penetrated large arteries and veins in large numbers, then blocking the pulmonary circulation is possible. In this case, gases begin to accumulate in the right section of the heart muscle and stretch it. It may end in death.

It is very dangerous to inject air into an artery in large quantities. The lethal dose is about 20 milligrams.

If you introduce it into any large vessel, then this will lead to serious consequences that are fraught with death.

A lethal outcome can result in air entering the vessels during:

  • surgical intervention;
  • complications during delivery;
  • in case of damage to large veins or arteries (trauma, injury).

Air is also sometimes introduced through an intravenous injection, through a drip. However, according to experts, this condition is not dangerous.

If a small bubble of gas is injected into a vein, then no dangerous consequences will be observed. It is usually absorbed into the cells and does no harm. However, a bruise is possible in the puncture area.

How does it manifest

The air bubble can be in large vessels. With this phenomenon, there is no blood supply in a certain area, since the vascular lumen is blocked.

In some cases, the plug moves through the bloodstream, enters the capillaries.

When air is introduced into a blood vessel, the following symptoms may occur:

  • small seals in the puncture area;
  • bruising in the injection area;
  • general weakness;
  • joint pain;
  • dizziness;
  • headache;
  • a feeling of numbness in the area where the air plug is advancing;
  • clouding of consciousness;
  • fainting state;
  • rashes on the skin;
  • dyspnea;
  • wheezing in the chest;
  • increased heart rate;
  • a sharp drop in pressure;
  • swelling of the veins;
  • soreness in the chest.

In rare cases, with a particularly dangerous condition, symptoms may be paralysis and convulsions. These signs indicate that the artery of the brain is clogged with a large air plug.

With these symptoms, a person is listened to with a stethoscope to confirm the diagnosis. Diagnostic methods such as ultrasound, electrocardiography, mass spectrometry, capnography are also used.

If a large amount of air is injected into a vein, the blood supply is disrupted. This can lead to a heart attack or stroke.

If small bubbles enter, it is almost always asymptomatic, since the air in this case usually resolves. When an injection is given intravenously, sometimes a few bubbles enter the vessel, resulting in a bruise, a hematoma at the puncture site.

Actions when air bubbles enter from a dropper or syringe

After typing injectable medication, specialists release air from the syringe. That is why its bubbles rarely enter the veins.

When a dropper is made, and the solution in it runs out, the patient begins to worry about the possibility of air entering the vein. However, doctors say that this cannot happen. This is justified by the fact that before this medical manipulation, the air is removed, as with an injection.

In addition, the pressure of the medicine is not as high as that of the blood, which prevents gas bubbles from entering the vein.

If air has entered the vein through a dropper or injection, then the patient needs to be given medical attention. Usually, experts instantly notice what happened and take the necessary actions in order to prevent the risk of developing dangerous consequences.

If an excessive number of bubbles enter and a severe air embolism occurs, treatment is carried out in a hospital setting.

The following measures may be taken:

  1. Oxygen inhalations.
  2. Hemostasis by surgery.
  3. Treatment with saline solution of the vessels that were affected.
  4. Oxygen therapy in a pressure chamber.
  5. Aspiration of air bubbles using a catheter.
  6. Medications that stimulate the functioning of the cardiac system.
  7. Steroids (for cerebral edema).

In case of impaired blood circulation, cardiopulmonary resuscitation is necessary, in which an indirect heart massage and artificial respiration are performed.

After treatment of an air embolism, the patient is under medical supervision for some time. This is necessary in order to avoid health risks.

Danger of getting into a vein

In some cases, the penetration of bubbles into the vessels is dangerous, as it leads to various severe complications.

If they penetrate in large quantities, and even into a large vessel (artery), then in this situation a fatal outcome can occur. Death usually occurs as a result of cardiac embolism. The latter is due to the fact that a plug forms in a vein or artery, which clogs it. Also, this pathology provokes a heart attack.

If a bubble enters the cerebral vessels, a stroke, cerebral edema may occur. It is also possible to develop pulmonary thromboembolism.

With timely assistance, the prognosis is usually favorable. In this case, the air plug quickly resolves, and negative consequences can be prevented.

Sometimes residual processes may develop. For example, when cerebral vessels are blocked, paresis develops.

Prevention

To prevent dangerous complications, the following recommendations must be observed:

  1. Perform injections and droppers in a hospital setting.
  2. Seek help from experts.
  3. Do not inject drugs on your own.
  4. If it becomes necessary to make a dropper or an injection at home, then air bubbles must be carefully removed.

These rules will avoid unwanted entry of gas bubbles into the blood vessels and prevent dangerous consequences.

So, the introduction of air into the vessel is not always dangerous. However, if an air bubble enters an artery, it will be bad. In this case, a dose of about 20 milliliters is considered fatal.

If less than that, then there is still a possibility of developing serious consequences that can lead to death. In the case of a small amount, a large bruise on the arm is usually formed.

Consequences of air entering a vein

An air bubble trapped in a vein can cause a blockage. This condition is called an air embolism. Under what circumstances can it occur, what danger does it pose to human life and health?

Air can enter a vein only if it is punctured. Accordingly, this can happen when performing such manipulations as intravenous administration of drugs using a syringe or dropper. Very many patients during such procedures are afraid of air entering the venous vessels and their anxiety has good reason. This is due to the fact that the air bubble blocks the lumen of the channel, thereby disrupting the process of blood microcirculation. That is, the development of an embolism takes place. A high risk of severe complications and even death occurs when large arteries are blocked.

Possible consequences

It is believed that if air enters a vein, it will be fatal. Is it true? Yes, this is quite possible, but only if its large volume penetrates - at least 20 cubes. Unintentionally, with intravenous administration of the drug, this cannot happen. Even if air bubbles were present in the syringe with the drug, then its amount is not enough to cause life-threatening consequences. Small plugs quickly dissolve under blood pressure and the process of its circulation is immediately restored.

In the event of an air embolism, the risk of developing a fatal outcome is not high and the prognosis will be favorable, provided that medical care is provided in a timely manner.

Complications of the condition can be such phenomena:

  • paresis - temporary numbness of a part of the body to which blood began to flow poorly due to blockage of the supply vessel by an air bubble;
  • the formation of a seal and blueness at the puncture site;
  • dizziness;
  • general malaise;
  • short-term fainting.

Introduction to a vein 20 cc. air can provoke oxygen starvation of the brain or heart muscle, which in turn will lead to the development of a heart attack or stroke.

In the absence of timely medical care, the risk of death of the victim increases. The risk of death increases if air enters the vein during a major surgical intervention, in the process of complicated labor, as well as in case of serious wounds and injuries that are accompanied by damage to large blood vessels.

An air embolism can provoke death in the event that the compensatory capabilities of the body are insufficient, and medical assistance was provided out of time.

Air in a vein does not always lead to blockage. Bubbles can move through the bloodstream, penetrating into smaller vessels and capillaries. At the same time, they either dissolve or block their lumen, which practically does not affect the general well-being of a person. Severe symptoms occur only when a large volume of air enters large significant blood channels.

Injections and droppers

During the injection process, there is a possibility of air bubbles entering the vein.

To avoid this, nurses shake off the contents of the syringe before giving the injection and release some medicine from it. Thus, along with the drug, the accumulated air also comes out. This is done not only to avoid dangerous consequences, but also to reduce the pain of the injection itself. After all, when an air bubble enters the vein, it causes very unpleasant sensations in the patient, as well as the formation of a hematoma in the puncture area. When setting droppers, the likelihood that air will enter the vein is practically zero, since all bubbles are also released from the system.

Conclusion

In order to prevent unwanted complications after injection, you need to seek help only in specialized medical institutions where manipulations are performed by qualified medical staff. It is not recommended to carry out the procedure on your own or trust it to persons who do not have the necessary skills.

Why is injection of air into a vein considered fatal?

after all, the air is chasing erythrocytes through the veins anyway, why is pure (undissolved) air in the circulatory system considered deadly?

The outcome of gas or air entering the bloodstream depends on the amount and speed of gas penetration into the vessels. With the slow introduction of cm3 of air into the bloodstream, it almost completely dissolves in the blood. With a rapid entry into the venous system, they cause a serious condition, ending in death. Death is due to the fact that air bubbles are transported by blood flow to the right atrium and right ventricle, in the cavity of which an air space is formed, plugging its cavity. A large air bubble in the cavity of the right ventricle prevents the flow of blood from the systemic circulation and its transition to the pulmonary circulation. There is a blockade of the pulmonary circulation, which entails a rapid death.

The absorption of small air bubbles from the wound area, if it occurs gradually, cannot pose a threat, since the clinical and anatomical manifestation of an air embolism requires a one-time intake of sufficiently large portions of air into the blood. The point, however, is not only in the amount of air and the speed of its entry into the veins, but also in the distance that separates the injection site from the heart.

Clinically, with an air embolism, sudden death (embolism of the small circle) is most often observed. Symptoms of pulmonary embolism: a sudden attack of suffocation, coughing, blueness of the upper half of the body (cyanosis), a feeling of tightness in the chest. Death comes from oxygen starvation

To prevent air embolism when the syringe is disconnected from the needle during puncture of the central veins or, if necessary, open the catheter plug, the patient should be in the Trendelenburg position (the head end of the table is lowered by 25 °) or in a horizontal plane and hold his breath while exhaling. With the development of an air embolism, the patient is turned on his left side with the head end lowered and the foot end of the bed raised (so that air enters the veins of the extremities). Using a syringe, they try to aspirate air from the catheter, the patient is observed and treated in the intensive care unit.

It's the same here - an air bubble will stop the blood flow. The only question is where? If in the arm - leg - they will hurt for a long time until the bubble resolves, and if it resolves for a very long time, it will end in disability due to tissue atrophy. If in the region of the heart, the heart is unlikely to withstand the blockage of the supply and stop. Well, if the air is blocked in the vessels of the brain - death within seconds. Even if you are lucky and there is too little air for a complete overlap - paralysis is like a stroke with a poor prognosis.

What happens if air is injected into a vein

When a medicine is drawn into the syringe, a certain amount of air enters it, which is then necessarily released. Among the patients there are many suspicious people who are very concerned about how experienced and conscientious the nurse is, giving an injection or putting a dropper. It is believed that if air enters the vein, death will occur. How is it really? Is there such a danger?

Air embolism

Blockage of a blood vessel by an air bubble is called an air embolism. The probability of such a phenomenon has long been considered in medicine, and it is indeed life-threatening, especially if such a plug has entered a large artery. At the same time, according to doctors, the risk of death when air bubbles enter the blood is very small. In order to clog the vessel and develop severe consequences, you need to enter at least 20 cubic meters. cm of air, while it should immediately enter the large arteries.

A lethal outcome is rare if the compensatory capabilities of the body are small and help was not provided in time.

It is especially dangerous for air to enter the vessels in the following cases:

  • during heavy operations;
  • with pathological childbirth;
  • with severe wounds and injuries, when large vessels are damaged.

If the bubble completely closes the lumen of the artery, an air embolism will develop

What happens when air enters

The bubble can block the movement of blood through the vessels and leave any area without blood supply. If the cork gets into the coronary vessels, myocardial infarction develops, if it enters the vessels supplying blood to the brain, a stroke develops. Such severe symptoms are observed in only 1% of people who have air in the bloodstream.

But the cork does not necessarily close the lumen of the vessel. It can move along the bloodstream for a long time, in parts fall into smaller vessels, then into capillaries.

If air enters the bloodstream, a person may experience the following symptoms:

  • If these were small bubbles, this will not affect well-being and health in any way. The only thing that may appear is bruises and seals at the injection site.
  • If more air gets in, a person may feel dizzy, malaise, numbness in places where air bubbles move. A short-term loss of consciousness is possible.
  • If you inject 20 cu. cm of air and more, the cork can clog blood vessels and disrupt the blood supply to organs. Rarely, death can occur from a stroke or heart attack.

If small air bubbles enter the vein, bruising may occur at the injection site.

For injections

Should I be afraid of air entering the vein during injections? We all saw how a nurse, before giving an injection, clicks on the syringe with her fingers so that one is formed from small bubbles, and with a piston pushes out of it not only air, but also a small part of the medicine. This is done to completely remove the bubbles, although the amount that enters the syringe when taking the solution for injection is not dangerous for a person, especially since the air in the vein will resolve before it reaches the vital organ. And they release it, rather, with the aim of making it easier to administer the medicine and the injection was less painful for the patient, because when an air bubble enters a vein, a person experiences discomfort, and a hematoma can form at the injection site.

The ingress of small air bubbles into a vein through a syringe does not pose a danger to life

Through a drip

If people are more relaxed about injections, then the dropper causes panic for some, since the procedure is quite long and the medical worker can leave the patient alone. Not surprisingly, the patient is anxious because the solution in the dropper will run out before the doctor pulls the needle out of the vein.

According to doctors, the patients' concerns are unfounded, since it is impossible to let air into the vein through a dropper. Firstly, before putting it in, the doctor does all the same manipulations to remove air as with a syringe. Secondly, if the medicine runs out, it will not enter the blood vessel in any way, since the pressure in the dropper is not enough for this, while the blood pressure is quite high and it will not allow it to enter the vein.

As for even more sophisticated medical equipment, special filtering devices are installed there, and the removal of bubbles is carried out automatically.

A dropper is a reliable device for intravenous infusion of drugs. The penetration of air into the vein through it is impossible, even if the liquid runs out

To avoid unpleasant consequences during intravenous administration of the drug, it is best to follow some rules:

  • Seek medical care from reputable institutions.
  • Avoid self-administration of medications, especially if such skills are lacking.
  • Do not give injections and put droppers to people who do not have professional training.
  • When forced to carry out procedures at home, carefully remove air from a dropper or syringe.

Conclusion

It is impossible to say unequivocally whether it is dangerous for air to enter the bloodstream. It depends on the individual case, the number of blisters that hit, and how soon medical attention was given. If this happened during medical procedures, the hospital staff will immediately notice this and take all necessary measures to prevent danger.

What happens if air is injected into a vein

It is known that there is an easy way to kill. Allegedly, only a syringe is required for this. What happens if air enters a vein? The death myth arose after detective novels gained popularity, because almost everyone has read at least one of them in their life.

However, this version of the murder has significant flaws, and it looks more like the author's fiction. From the outside, everything looks believable, and there is almost no trace of the injection, and it is difficult to find the cause of death by the blood of the victim.

But not only in the literature you can find a mention of this method. Currently, many teenagers are prone to various addictions, including drug addiction. Therefore, it is worth paying attention to the young man if he asks questions that relate to this topic.

What can happen, what will happen when air enters the vein? The exact answer to this question is given by experts. Theoretically, everything is correct, and such a term as "air embolism" is well known to physicians. This is the penetration of a fairly large amount of air into the human artery. What matters here is its quantity, and where it gets if it is introduced.

What will happen in a situation where air enters the artery? There will be a blockage, that is, the blood flow will not be able to move freely through the arteries and vessels. Wide arteries with difficulty, but skip the bubble, but after that it enters smaller blood vessels, and it is there that the chance of stopping blood flow increases significantly.

But the human body is used to fighting, and it does not give up so easily. A person will die from such a procedure only if he is seriously ill, or has heart problems, or suffers from hypertension. In general, the percentage of fatalities does not exceed 2%, so in real life this form of murder cannot be called effective.

The dose should be decent and sometimes repeated. Small portions are safely absorbed throughout the body. It is also worth paying attention that small vessels will not react at all, you need to get into a large artery, and this is not easy. After such an intervention, there will definitely be a trace (everyone could notice the bruises that remain after taking a blood test), and after death, there will be a dark spot surrounded by a light border. So this act will not go unnoticed.

Precautionary measures

In order to prevent air from entering a vein or under the skin, some rules must be observed when administering the medicine. Before starting an injection, it is important to make sure that there is no air in the syringe. What happens when air enters a vein? This is not to say that this is tragic, but such experiments should be avoided. If there is common sense and prudence, they should work for any normal person.

Also, when setting up droppers, you need to carefully monitor the process, make sure that there are no bubbles in the system. To date, there are droppers in which automatic removal of those is provided.

Embolism

Most often, embolism is experienced by people whose professional activities, or hobbies, are associated with diving. These are divers, athletes, they have to hold their breath for a long time after the air in the apparatus has run out.

A sharp rise from a depth can provoke an embolism, since the lungs are maximally filled with air, and at the same time, small alveoli can rupture. At the same time, the air is forced to move through the vessels, it enters the circulatory system and causes this condition, or, as it is called, decompression sickness. Untrained people are most often at risk, and specialists need to competently instruct this category of swimmers.

Signs by which you can determine that not everything is in order after diving to great depths:

  • joint pain, in the legs, arms, aches;
  • dizziness;
  • general weakness of the body, inappropriate behavior;
  • feeling tired, and even exhausted;
  • loss of consciousness in (rare cases);
  • rash on the skin;
  • paralysis (in more severe forms);

During an emergency ascent, the human body does not have time to expel excess nitrogen, which, having dissolved, remains in the human blood for the entire time of the dive. Since the pressure decreases with each meter, this causes decompression sickness, and it is these nitrogen bubbles that create such a picture. The main thing is to get competent instruction and strictly adhere to all the recommendations of specialists.

For each person, the critical amount of air in the blood is individual, and there are people for whom such experiments do not affect their well-being in any way. Often they set world records, and their names can be found in the Guinness Book of Records. And animal experiments confirmed this observation, everyone reacted differently to extreme diving.

Causes of an air embolism

  1. First of all, it is a defect, or damage to the vessel. This happens if gas enters the system.
  2. A sharp ascent to the surface fills the lungs with air, which rushes through the human circulatory system.
  3. If the swimmer is inexperienced, it is dangerous. Various injuries and injuries associated with the lungs. The artificial lung ventilation used can cause air to enter an artery or vein, and a fatal outcome is possible.
  4. If a planned operation is performed, this is also risky, since during blood transfusion situations may arise when the medical staff did not keep track of whether there is air in the syringe.

To skip and inject a patient with such a large dose as 20 cubes, you need to try, so such cases are a rare exception.

Curiosity or intent?

Some teenagers test the strength of their young growing body. The sense of self-preservation does not work, and some wish to know the consequences. Such behavior is unreasonably stupid, and brings nothing but pain and discomfort.

If you are asked such questions, it is worth looking into the psychological state of such a person, since such experiments can lead to irreversible consequences and harm health. Parents need to find a common language with their child, explain to him the danger of certain procedures, look for ways of trusting communication and strive for mutual understanding.

Many of the young people can inject themselves out of curiosity, or on a dare. This risky procedure will not go unnoticed by the body, so teens should be educated at school or at home about the consequences. At this age, human life is not valued, and the task of adults is to instill these values ​​in them.

What happens if you inject air into a vein with a syringe?

I heard somewhere that if you inject air into a vein with a syringe, the person will die. Allegedly, the air will reach the heart and there will be a failure in its work. True or not, I don’t know, I don’t want to check and I don’t advise you.

If, due to the carelessness or negligence of a health worker, air is found in the intravenous system or syringe, this threatens with emergency consequences and a threat to human life! The air bubble (the medical term is embolism) moves with the blood flow first in the arteries, from there it enters smaller blood vessels and finally reaches the capillaries. An air embolism blocks arterioles and cuts off blood flow to a specific part of the body, causing severe oxygen starvation. But the most dangerous thing is when such an air bubble blocks the pulmonary, coronary (heart) or cerebral arteries - this leads to death. One of our friends died from the fact that she gave herself an intravenous injection, leaving air in the syringe through negligence (

Therefore, nurses, doctors must release the medicine from the needle so that there is no air left in the syringe or intravenous system!

If air is injected into a vein with a syringe, you can die. You will have blockage of blood vessels. Blood will cease to circulate normally, oxygen starvation will set in, vital organs will stop working. All this is fraught with death.

Be sure to release air from the syringe before giving an injection.

There may be blockage of the vessel and death. It all depends on how much air is in the vein. Nothing bad will happen from one bubble, but if more than 10 ml of air enters the vein, then an air embolism of the pulmonary trunk can occur, which will lead to death.

An air bubble in the circulatory system is the same foreign body that can block the access of oxygen and nutrients. Of course, everything depends on the volume, the amount of air, the size of the bubble - a very small bubble will dissolve after a while and will not pose a danger. It is very dangerous if the bubble gets to the brain and clogs an important artery there, as well as in the lungs.

It really depends on how much air gets into the vein. It is believed that if the amount of air entering the vein is less than five cubes, then it will simply dissolve in the blood, and if more, then there can be very serious consequences. Up to death.

If quite a bit, then nothing, maybe just feeling unwell. But 10 cubes kill, and if even a small amount is injected into an artery, it is fatal.

If you inject air into a vein with a syringe, then a fatal outcome can occur, that is, death can occur, unless, of course, a lot of air enters. And if just a little, then nothing will happen, it will simply resolve.

Air entering an artery blocks the flow of blood that goes to the heart or brain. They call it an embolism. With a cardiac embolism, a person can have a heart attack, and with a cerebral embolism, a stroke.

By the way, experts do not agree on how much air that enters a vein can lead to death. This data is from 10 cubes to 50 and even more. But don't experiment. Even when giving a regular injection, you need to make sure that there is no air in the syringe. Do not risk your life and your health. For someone, perhaps even 2 dice will be fatal.

If injected with a syringe into a vein, an air embolism may occur due to the appearance of air bubbles in the vascular system. When air is introduced into a vein, a venous embolism accordingly occurs, it can be life-threatening for the reason that it can block pulmonary blood flow. But this, of course, depends on the amount of air. It is believed that such amounts of air in a vein as 8-10 ml or more are extremely dangerous for a person.

In short, from 2 to 200 ml, as I googled, and even then, maybe nothing will happen, it depends on the body and the position of the body.

I had a chance to visit a doctor a week with a request to drink my health on the issue of a small complication after the flu. It was decided for me to raise immunity and humiliate bad microbes with the help of a dropper and some antiviral drugs. I have never had to deal with droppers before, but here they drew a whole schedule of visits.

Well lan, it is necessary - so it is necessary. Let's go .. I myself am a brave enough person and I am not afraid of doctors at all, but having reviewed the militants in childhood, it somehow stuck with me that from an injection of air into the body (in any part of it), you will inapplicably "move the horses." So, I’m sitting in a comfortable chair in the treatment room, the dropper is slowly dripping, and then the moment comes when the medicine ends from the top of the vial, and it stops dripping ... to which he received the answer:

"Ohh.. I see" and left 0_o. Once in the treatment room, I was completely alone, without blinking, I looked at the catheter, through which the liquid was confidently leaving in the direction of my vein. I panicked a little: just in case, I peeled off the fixing plaster that held the needle and prepared to pull it out. At this time, the nurse returned and the first thing she heard in the opened door: "pull it out urgently quickly." Well, she smiled, did not let me fall into a fit of hysteria and pulled out the needle) After which we had a conversation with her on the topic ...

START
So, having shoveled a bunch of forums, recommendations of doctors and other things, as well as making sure at one of the sessions of the dropper PERSONALLY in the following, I summarize: It is IMPOSSIBLE to die from air in the dropper, running after the medicine in the catheter ends!
It is just as impossible to die from air bubbles that have come off the walls of the syringe / catheter.

Let me explain: the volume of the drug injected intravenously with a dropper just creates the necessary pressure in the catheter, which pushes it through the needle into the vein. In turn, the vein also has a certain blood pressure, yes, it is not an artery, but there is pressure there, which, in turn, will not let anything foreign into the vein just like that. So the pressure of the drug in the filled catheter is enough to overcome the venous one. And when the catheter empties and the medicine runs out, the pressure decreases and the vein stops flowing into itself, leaving liquid in the dropper somewhere else at eye level. By the way, in honeys as an elective, they teach to determine the pressure by the distance of the drug that has not entered. BUT! not everything is so clear.

Unfortunately, air entering a vein can actually kill, leading to an "air embolism".
I didn’t get into the exact terminology and its effect in a scientific way, but something like a cork in the vessels through which blood cannot pass to organs and tissues, including the lungs. They say it's not the easiest death...
But then again, "with a dope you can break x @ d"! Firstly, this air, according to various sources, depending on the characteristics of the organism, age and other filtration, should be FROM (minimum) 7-10 ml for some irreversible!

And this, believe me, is not enough! And the chances of you getting a second drip into your air catheter without having to "spill" the entire system all over again is 1-100,000. This is exactly how much was revealed when fixing such accidents on the number of deaths due to medical errors. This is many times less than a plane crash. Now they put disposable systems.

There is also a syringe option. But again, 7-10 cubes. + you still need to get into the vein, because when it hits the muscle, the air will dissolve in the blood and exit through the lungs.

In general, drip on your health!)
Conducted an investigation personally for the same doubters!

What is the notorious air can harm? The fact is that, moving through the blood vessels, it forms a kind of plug, which causes a state of the so-called. This interferes with normal circulation to the area of ​​the heart or brain. The most disastrous result can be a heart attack or stroke, depending on which vital organ is blocked access.

However, do not be afraid of such a possibility - there are at least several reasons for this. Firstly, for the onset of disastrous consequences, the injection must be made with a gross violation of safety regulations. Qualified professionals work in medical institutions, carefully monitoring the progress of procedures. Before any type of injection, it is necessary to remove air from the syringe by lifting it up and carefully tapping it; similarly occurs to the use of a dropper; technically complex ones have their own filters that carry out their preliminary cleaning from all unnecessary.

Secondly, the muscles and tissues are not able to cause an air embolism. Only intravenous injections pose a potential threat. But even in this case, a lethal outcome can only occur with an incorrect injection into a large vein or main artery that has direct access to vital systems. If small air bubbles enter small vessels, as a rule, they dissolve in the blood on their own and can only cause slight pain to the patient.

Thirdly, it is important to take into account the dose that can cause damage to health. In order for the state of air embolism to occur, it is necessary to introduce air bubbles into the body in a significant volume - about two hundred milliliters.

The risky business of divers

Air can enter the circulatory system in other ways, causing decompression sickness. Divers and snorkellers are at risk. This happens if a person tries to simultaneously hold his breath and float to the surface too quickly. Due to a violation of pressure, the air begins to burst the airways, tearing them and penetrating into the blood, which, in turn, causes a disruption in the functioning of the heart or cerebral circulation.

Protecting yourself from the required medical examinations and, moreover, active entertainment, like diving, is not worth it. But in both cases, one should approach this with the mind and the minimum knowledge base necessary to maintain health.

It is believed that if air enters the vein, death will occur. How is it really? Is there such a danger?

Air embolism

Blockage of a blood vessel by an air bubble is called an air embolism. The probability of such a phenomenon has long been considered in medicine, and it is indeed life-threatening, especially if such a plug has entered a large artery. At the same time, according to doctors, the risk of death when air bubbles enter the blood is very small. In order to clog the vessel and develop severe consequences, you need to enter at least 20 cubic meters. cm of air, while it should immediately enter the large arteries.

A lethal outcome is rare if the compensatory capabilities of the body are small and help was not provided in time.

It is especially dangerous for air to enter the vessels in the following cases:

  • during heavy operations;
  • with pathological childbirth;
  • with severe wounds and injuries, when large vessels are damaged.

If the bubble completely closes the lumen of the artery, an air embolism will develop

What happens when air enters

The bubble can block the movement of blood through the vessels and leave any area without blood supply. If the cork gets into the coronary vessels, myocardial infarction develops, if it enters the vessels supplying blood to the brain, a stroke develops. Such severe symptoms are observed in only 1% of people who have air in the bloodstream.

But the cork does not necessarily close the lumen of the vessel. It can move along the bloodstream for a long time, in parts fall into smaller vessels, then into capillaries.

If air enters the bloodstream, a person may experience the following symptoms:

  • If these were small bubbles, this will not affect well-being and health in any way. The only thing that may appear is bruises and seals at the injection site.
  • If more air gets in, a person may feel dizzy, malaise, numbness in places where air bubbles move. A short-term loss of consciousness is possible.
  • If you inject 20 cu. cm of air and more, the cork can clog blood vessels and disrupt the blood supply to organs. Rarely, death can occur from a stroke or heart attack.

If small air bubbles enter the vein, bruising may occur at the injection site.

For injections

Should I be afraid of air entering the vein during injections? We all saw how a nurse, before giving an injection, clicks on the syringe with her fingers so that one is formed from small bubbles, and with a piston pushes out of it not only air, but also a small part of the medicine. This is done to completely remove the bubbles, although the amount that enters the syringe when taking the solution for injection is not dangerous for a person, especially since the air in the vein will resolve before it reaches the vital organ. And they release it, rather, with the aim of making it easier to administer the medicine and the injection was less painful for the patient, because when an air bubble enters a vein, a person experiences discomfort, and a hematoma can form at the injection site.

The ingress of small air bubbles into a vein through a syringe does not pose a danger to life

Through a drip

If people are more relaxed about injections, then the dropper causes panic for some, since the procedure is quite long and the medical worker can leave the patient alone. Not surprisingly, the patient is anxious because the solution in the dropper will run out before the doctor pulls the needle out of the vein.

According to doctors, the patients' concerns are unfounded, since it is impossible to let air into the vein through a dropper. Firstly, before putting it in, the doctor does all the same manipulations to remove air as with a syringe. Secondly, if the medicine runs out, it will not enter the blood vessel in any way, since the pressure in the dropper is not enough for this, while the blood pressure is quite high and it will not allow it to enter the vein.

As for even more sophisticated medical equipment, special filtering devices are installed there, and the removal of bubbles is carried out automatically.

A dropper is a reliable device for intravenous infusion of drugs. The penetration of air into the vein through it is impossible, even if the liquid runs out

To avoid unpleasant consequences during intravenous administration of the drug, it is best to follow some rules:

  • Seek medical care from reputable institutions.
  • Avoid self-administration of medications, especially if such skills are lacking.
  • Do not give injections and put droppers to people who do not have professional training.
  • When forced to carry out procedures at home, carefully remove air from a dropper or syringe.

Conclusion

It is impossible to say unequivocally whether it is dangerous for air to enter the bloodstream. It depends on the individual case, the number of blisters that hit, and how soon medical attention was given. If this happened during medical procedures, the hospital staff will immediately notice this and take all necessary measures to prevent danger.

They took a blood test from a vein and air got into it. I didn't know about it because I don't know much about it. But the vein was very sore and there was a bruise. I was then told at home that it was air. The vein hurt for a very long time and the bruise did not go away for a long time. But then, about a month later, the pressure began to rise strongly, although my pressure is always low. The hand where the analysis was taken was also very sore and the pain was floating with numbness. Is it due to air getting into the blood?

No, not related. Well, air cannot get in when taking blood. It is taken into a vacuum test tube, where the pressure is negative and the blood itself flows into the test tube due to blood pressure.

This is already nonsense. When taking blood, well, air cannot get in, because the piston is pulled back and, due to pressure, the blood flows into the syringe, but nothing is pushed into the vein. A bruise most often occurs if the piston is pulled with great effort or if the needle is pulled out of the vein before removing the tourniquet. So don't overthink it.

What if an air bubble enters the dropper tube and moves through the solution before the solution runs out?

It is unlikely that something will be bad, they themselves made a dropper and everything is in order.

A bunch of times they put it and the solution always stopped in the middle of the tube + -

And if the medicine gets into the capillaries, what will happen?

I don’t know what will happen if air enters through the injection? But I know one thing for sure, the heroes are new junkies, and they let in their solution with air past the vein, and at the same time they do not alcoholize the injection site or the needle, and they use one syringe 5 times, and they are alive! And probably healthy.

Hello, tell me please. I am learning to take blood from a vein. The veins are bad, it did not work the first time, and during the first injection she pulled the piston, was not in the vein and returned the piston to its original position without pulling out the needle. Will there be any consequences?

Two meters underground will fix it, nothing will happen.))))))

All lies, I just injected myself with 12 cubes and nothing.

In vain entered. Yesterday I injected and got a little air (0.3 ml). Sensations: tinnitus, dizziness. In short, it's not worth the risk.

When the solution for injection is drawn into a syringe, there is a risk that air bubbles will get into it. Before the introduction of the drug, the physician must release them.

Many patients are afraid that air can get into their blood vessels through a dropper or syringe. Is this situation dangerous? What happens if air enters a vein? You can find out about it by reading this article.

What happens when air enters a vein

The situation when a gas bubble enters a vessel and cuts off blood circulation is called an air embolism in medical terminology. This happens in rare cases.

If a person has a cardiovascular disease or air bubbles have penetrated large arteries and veins in large numbers, then blocking the pulmonary circulation is possible. In this case, gases begin to accumulate in the right section of the heart muscle and stretch it. It may end in death.

It is very dangerous to inject air into an artery in large quantities. The lethal dose is about 20 milligrams.

If you introduce it into any large vessel, then this will lead to serious consequences that are fraught with death.

A lethal outcome can result in air entering the vessels during:

  • surgical intervention;
  • complications during delivery;
  • in case of damage to large veins or arteries (trauma, injury).

Air is also sometimes introduced through an intravenous injection, through a drip. However, according to experts, this condition is not dangerous.

If a small bubble of gas is injected into a vein, then no dangerous consequences will be observed. It is usually absorbed into the cells and does no harm. However, a bruise is possible in the puncture area.

How does it manifest

The air bubble can be in large vessels. With this phenomenon, there is no blood supply in a certain area, since the vascular lumen is blocked.

In some cases, the plug moves through the bloodstream, enters the capillaries.

When air is introduced into a blood vessel, the following symptoms may occur:

  • small seals in the puncture area;
  • bruising in the injection area;
  • general weakness;
  • joint pain;
  • dizziness;
  • headache;
  • a feeling of numbness in the area where the air plug is advancing;
  • clouding of consciousness;
  • fainting state;
  • rashes on the skin;
  • dyspnea;
  • wheezing in the chest;
  • increased heart rate;
  • a sharp drop in pressure;
  • swelling of the veins;
  • soreness in the chest.

In rare cases, with a particularly dangerous condition, symptoms may be paralysis and convulsions. These signs indicate that the artery of the brain is clogged with a large air plug.

With these symptoms, a person is listened to with a stethoscope to confirm the diagnosis. Diagnostic methods such as ultrasound, electrocardiography, mass spectrometry, capnography are also used.

If a large amount of air is injected into a vein, the blood supply is disrupted. This can lead to a heart attack or stroke.

If small bubbles enter, it is almost always asymptomatic, since the air in this case usually resolves. When an injection is given intravenously, sometimes a few bubbles enter the vessel, resulting in a bruise, a hematoma at the puncture site.

Actions when air bubbles enter from a dropper or syringe

After typing injectable medication, specialists release air from the syringe. That is why its bubbles rarely enter the veins.

When a dropper is made, and the solution in it runs out, the patient begins to worry about the possibility of air entering the vein. However, doctors say that this cannot happen. This is justified by the fact that before this medical manipulation, the air is removed, as with an injection.

In addition, the pressure of the medicine is not as high as that of the blood, which prevents gas bubbles from entering the vein.

If air has entered the vein through a dropper or injection, then the patient needs to be given medical attention. Usually, experts instantly notice what happened and take the necessary actions in order to prevent the risk of developing dangerous consequences.

If an excessive number of bubbles enter and a severe air embolism occurs, treatment is carried out in a hospital setting.

The following measures may be taken:

  1. Oxygen inhalations.
  2. Hemostasis by surgery.
  3. Treatment with saline solution of the vessels that were affected.
  4. Oxygen therapy in a pressure chamber.
  5. Aspiration of air bubbles using a catheter.
  6. Medications that stimulate the functioning of the cardiac system.
  7. Steroids (for cerebral edema).

In case of impaired blood circulation, cardiopulmonary resuscitation is necessary, in which an indirect heart massage and artificial respiration are performed.

After treatment of an air embolism, the patient is under medical supervision for some time. This is necessary in order to avoid health risks.

Danger of getting into a vein

In some cases, the penetration of bubbles into the vessels is dangerous, as it leads to various severe complications.

If they penetrate in large quantities, and even into a large vessel (artery), then in this situation a fatal outcome can occur. Death usually occurs as a result of cardiac embolism. The latter is due to the fact that a plug forms in a vein or artery, which clogs it. Also, this pathology provokes a heart attack.

If a bubble enters the cerebral vessels, a stroke, cerebral edema may occur. It is also possible to develop pulmonary thromboembolism.

With timely assistance, the prognosis is usually favorable. In this case, the air plug quickly resolves, and negative consequences can be prevented.

Sometimes residual processes may develop. For example, when cerebral vessels are blocked, paresis develops.

Prevention

To prevent dangerous complications, the following recommendations must be observed:

  1. Perform injections and droppers in a hospital setting.
  2. Seek help from experts.
  3. Do not inject drugs on your own.
  4. If it becomes necessary to make a dropper or an injection at home, then air bubbles must be carefully removed.

These rules will avoid unwanted entry of gas bubbles into the blood vessels and prevent dangerous consequences.

So, the introduction of air into the vessel is not always dangerous. However, if an air bubble enters an artery, it will be bad. In this case, a dose of about 20 milliliters is considered fatal.

If less than that, then there is still a possibility of developing serious consequences that can lead to death. In the case of a small amount, a large bruise on the arm is usually formed.

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What happens if air enters a vein when a drip is used?

The likelihood that air from the intravenous drug system will enter the bloodstream is not so much. The other day I read on the forum of forensic experts that in order for an air embolism clinic to appear, about a ml of air must enter the bloodstream. This applies to peripheral veins. If air enters through large veins (subclavian or neck veins), then embolism will occur with smaller amounts of air.

Probably, it will be necessary to try very hard to get air from the dropper into the vein. That's only if you come up with such droppers so that the medicine from them is supplied under pressure. Atmospheres 5-6, I think, will be enough))

And by itself, this is basically impossible. According to the law of communicating vessels, the medicine that flows into the vein through the tube stops about a cm above the level of the patient's body. And accordingly, bypassing the medicine, the air, even with a very strong desire, will not enter the bloodstream.

Even small bubbles in a dropper (it is called an infusion system) stick to the walls and do not move anywhere, and if the solution runs out in the system, your blood pressure will not let air out of the system. But a problem can arise if a new vial of medicine is connected and the air is not released, then it is really dangerous. And large volumes of air must enter the vein to cause death.

I, too, when I was in the hospital, was afraid that when changing the jar of medicine, air would not get into the dropper. And then I found out that a drop of air is not enough to stop the heart, you need ten cubes 🙂

Consequences of air entering a vein

An air bubble trapped in a vein can cause a blockage. This condition is called an air embolism. Under what circumstances can it occur, what danger does it pose to human life and health?

Air can enter a vein only if it is punctured. Accordingly, this can happen when performing such manipulations as intravenous administration of drugs using a syringe or dropper. Very many patients during such procedures are afraid of air entering the venous vessels and their anxiety has good reason. This is due to the fact that the air bubble blocks the lumen of the channel, thereby disrupting the process of blood microcirculation. That is, the development of an embolism takes place. A high risk of severe complications and even death occurs when large arteries are blocked.

Possible consequences

It is believed that if air enters a vein, it will be fatal. Is it true? Yes, this is quite possible, but only if its large volume penetrates - at least 20 cubes. Unintentionally, with intravenous administration of the drug, this cannot happen. Even if air bubbles were present in the syringe with the drug, then its amount is not enough to cause life-threatening consequences. Small plugs quickly dissolve under blood pressure and the process of its circulation is immediately restored.

In the event of an air embolism, the risk of developing a fatal outcome is not high and the prognosis will be favorable, provided that medical care is provided in a timely manner.

Complications of the condition can be such phenomena:

  • paresis - temporary numbness of a part of the body to which blood began to flow poorly due to blockage of the supply vessel by an air bubble;
  • the formation of a seal and blueness at the puncture site;
  • dizziness;
  • general malaise;
  • short-term fainting.

Introduction to a vein 20 cc. air can provoke oxygen starvation of the brain or heart muscle, which in turn will lead to the development of a heart attack or stroke.

In the absence of timely medical care, the risk of death of the victim increases. The risk of death increases if air enters the vein during a major surgical intervention, in the process of complicated labor, as well as in case of serious wounds and injuries that are accompanied by damage to large blood vessels.

An air embolism can provoke death in the event that the compensatory capabilities of the body are insufficient, and medical assistance was provided out of time.

Air in a vein does not always lead to blockage. Bubbles can move through the bloodstream, penetrating into smaller vessels and capillaries. At the same time, they either dissolve or block their lumen, which practically does not affect the general well-being of a person. Severe symptoms occur only when a large volume of air enters large significant blood channels.

Injections and droppers

During the injection process, there is a possibility of air bubbles entering the vein.

To avoid this, nurses shake off the contents of the syringe before giving the injection and release some medicine from it. Thus, along with the drug, the accumulated air also comes out. This is done not only to avoid dangerous consequences, but also to reduce the pain of the injection itself. After all, when an air bubble enters the vein, it causes very unpleasant sensations in the patient, as well as the formation of a hematoma in the puncture area. When setting droppers, the likelihood that air will enter the vein is practically zero, since all bubbles are also released from the system.

Conclusion

In order to prevent unwanted complications after injection, you need to seek help only in specialized medical institutions where manipulations are performed by qualified medical staff. It is not recommended to carry out the procedure on your own or trust it to persons who do not have the necessary skills.

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Air entered the vein through a drip

if a little air got into a vein through a dropper and the person did not immediately die, is there a danger of death from this air in the future?

Thank you reassured me, otherwise I was about to die

Never mind 🙂

how much per eye? :rolleyes:

and if there were a lot of these droppers and every time there were bubbles.

3-4 syringes of 20 ml.

Real air embolism is possible in such cases:

1. Your obedient servant (or someone like him) will (probably, only after getting drunk in the smoke) put a central catheter in a patient with severe dehydration, and at the same time, having disconnected the syringe before inserting the conductor, will say to the patient with a sadistic smile: “Well, take a deep breath, yes repeatedly!". And remove the finger that closes the entrance to the needle channel.

2. M / s will forget to close the catheter cover in the same patient.

3. Some descendant of the old Gestapo will actively inject air with a syringe.

Accidental entry of air from a peripheral vein is impossible in principle.

I will add the 4th point: if the syringe in the infusomat is filled with air and the air trap is broken.

2. I am starting to work in r.o. when setting up the system, I forgot to release air, about 30 seconds. I tried to figure out why it didn’t drip, apparently it would never drip, although FIG knows.

3. An inadequate patient independently removed the plug from the subclavian catheter, while apparently sitting in bed while inhaling. The result is death from an air embolism despite all resuscitation measures.

Draw your own conclusions.

1. The drug addict was in intensive care with a subclavian catheter, he decided to take his own life. Somewhere I found a 10 ml syringe, in front of my eyes, with a satisfied smile, I injected all 11 ml into it. The effect is nothing to which he himself was very surprised.

Anyway, great examples, thanks.

take and disconnect from the drip and oxygen at the same time.

There are not enough factory systems for oxygen therapy. Local

craftsmen make them from the same droppers. The patient tried to connect

independently, mixed up the systems and pumped oxygen into the heart. Clinical death ensued. Arrived on time, got started. Since then, he has been coping with one complication after another. Until it crawls out. "

"Three weeks in the life of a sculptor".

since r.o. quite large in area, at that moment I was not directly near him and therefore could not prevent this action. 🙁

The work quoted by the respected Reopoliglyukin has been published: [Only registered and activated users can see links]

In general, the most important thing is care. Dear doctors, watch your nurses, train them, encourage and punish them. Much, if not all, depends on them.

True, of course. You can't dismiss nurses. But I would say it all depends on the system. If a human life is not worth a penny in it, it is useless, more precisely, it is of little use to educate a beggarly sister in a turmoil. Sorry for politics.

The only exception to this rule is patients with right-to-left shunts with paradoxical embolism, but this is rare.

Why is injection of air into a vein considered fatal?

after all, the air is chasing erythrocytes through the veins anyway, why is pure (undissolved) air in the circulatory system considered deadly?

The outcome of gas or air entering the bloodstream depends on the amount and speed of gas penetration into the vessels. With the slow introduction of cm3 of air into the bloodstream, it almost completely dissolves in the blood. With a rapid entry into the venous system, they cause a serious condition, ending in death. Death is due to the fact that air bubbles are transported by blood flow to the right atrium and right ventricle, in the cavity of which an air space is formed, plugging its cavity. A large air bubble in the cavity of the right ventricle prevents the flow of blood from the systemic circulation and its transition to the pulmonary circulation. There is a blockade of the pulmonary circulation, which entails a rapid death.

The absorption of small air bubbles from the wound area, if it occurs gradually, cannot pose a threat, since the clinical and anatomical manifestation of an air embolism requires a one-time intake of sufficiently large portions of air into the blood. The point, however, is not only in the amount of air and the speed of its entry into the veins, but also in the distance that separates the injection site from the heart.

Clinically, with an air embolism, sudden death (embolism of the small circle) is most often observed. Symptoms of pulmonary embolism: a sudden attack of suffocation, coughing, blueness of the upper half of the body (cyanosis), a feeling of tightness in the chest. Death comes from oxygen starvation

To prevent air embolism when the syringe is disconnected from the needle during puncture of the central veins or, if necessary, open the catheter plug, the patient should be in the Trendelenburg position (the head end of the table is lowered by 25 °) or in a horizontal plane and hold his breath while exhaling. With the development of an air embolism, the patient is turned on his left side with the head end lowered and the foot end of the bed raised (so that air enters the veins of the extremities). Using a syringe, they try to aspirate air from the catheter, the patient is observed and treated in the intensive care unit.

It's the same here - an air bubble will stop the blood flow. The only question is where? If in the arm - leg - they will hurt for a long time until the bubble resolves, and if it resolves for a very long time, it will end in disability due to tissue atrophy. If in the region of the heart, the heart is unlikely to withstand the blockage of the supply and stop. Well, if the air is blocked in the vessels of the brain - death within seconds. Even if you are lucky and there is too little air for a complete overlap - paralysis is like a stroke with a poor prognosis.

It is observed when a sufficient amount of air enters the bloodstream (approximately 150 ml).

Etiology of air embolism

  1. traumatic(According to ICD-10 - T79.0 - Air embolism (traumatic).
  2. Surgery or trauma to the internal jugular vein. With damage to the internal jugular vein, negative pressure in the chest leads to the suction of air into it. This does not happen when other veins are damaged because they are separated by valves from the negative pressure in the chest cavity.
  3. Childbirth and abortion.(ICD-10: "..air embolism complicating: ..abortion, ectopic or molar pregnancy (O00-O07, O08.2) .pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium (O88.0)..." Very rare air embolism may occur during childbirth or abortion when air can be forced into torn placental venous sinuses during uterine contractions.
  4. Embolism during blood transfusion, intravenous infusion(droppers), radiopaque angiographic studies. Air embolism occurs only if the technique of manipulation is violated.
  5. With inadequately conducted mechanical ventilation under conditions of hyperbaric oxygenation.

Lethal dose of air in an air embolism

“... even animal experiments, where the amount of air introduced can be accurately measured, have not led researchers to a consensus on the lethal dose of air.

N.I. Pirogov (1852) showed that with the gradual introduction of air into the vascular system, a large amount of it can be introduced without much harm. He injected the dog into the veins for 3-4 hours. up to ten three-liter siphons of air without fatal outcome. At the same time, small amounts of air introduced suddenly caused rapid death.

Similar observations are made by V.V. Pashutin (1881). He demonstrated in a lecture a dog weighing 9 kg, which was introduced into the jugular vein with a continuous stream for 1.5 hours. over 60 cu. cm of air, and the dog did not show any noticeable disorders. In another experiment, V.V. Pashutin demonstrated the rapid onset of death in a small dog when 50 cc was injected into the jugular vein within a few seconds. see air.

F.N. Ilyin (1913) carried out a number of experiments in which air, by means of a special device, entered the veins of the pelvis by gravity, and it turned out that the animals tolerate the introduction of large amounts of air for a long time. Dogs injected with very large amounts of air, even more than double the total blood mass, at rates up to 60-70 cc. cm per minute, at a pressure close to zero, continued to live without visible painful symptoms. The danger increased with the introduction of pressurized air. When introducing air to the dog in v. cruralis, with an average speed of 44 cu. cm in 1 min. it took 660 cubic meters. see to kill the animal. In his experiments, F.N. Ilyin administered to dogs for a long time up to 1500-2000 cubic meters. cm.

G. Gazelhorst (1924) indicates that different animals tolerate air embolism differently. He considers rabbits to be very sensitive and unsuitable for experiments on air embolism, in connection with which he carried out his experiments on dogs, believing that the lethal dose of air for a person and a large dog is approximately the same. If administered to dogs up to 8.5 cu. cm of air per 1 kg of weight for a short period of time, then the animals, as a rule, experience emerging circulation disorders, which gradually subside. Meanwhile, smaller amounts of air injected at the same time cause death.

S.S. Sokolov (1930) in experiments on dogs determined the lethal dose of air at 10 cubic meters. cm per 1 kg of weight. J.B. Wolfe and G.B. Robertson (Wolffe and Robertson, 1935) experimentally found that the lethal dose for a rabbit is 0.5, and for a dog 15 cc. cm per 1 kg of weight. As far as humans are concerned, the authors considered that the amount of air that could accidentally enter during ordinary venous injections did not pose a danger.

F. Yumaguzina (1938) observed death in experiments with the introduction of 1 cu. cm of air to a rabbit weighing 1-1.5 kg. I. Pines (Pines, 1939) injected the cat with up to 2 liters of air for a long time and did not observe the death of the animal. E.F. Nikulchenko (1945), in experiments on air embolism on dogs, observed death with the introduction of 5 ml of air per 1 kg of body weight. He considers this dose to be lethal.

N.V. Popov (1950) indicates that the entry into the vascular bed is 5-10 cubic meters. cm of air does not lead to any serious consequences due to its dissolution in the blood. A slightly larger amount of air in 15-20 cubic meters. sm can lead to severe disorders and even death.

P. Berg (Berg, 1951) provides data on the lethal dose of air for animals of various species and humans. While rabbits die from 4 cu. cm and even less air, dogs carry 20-200 cc. cm, and horses 4000-6000. There are observations that a person can tolerate the introduction of air up to 20 cubic meters. see S. P. Berg cites data from a number of authors: for example, lethal dose of air for humans according to Volkmann - 40, according to Anton (Anthon) - 60, according to Bergmann - even 100 cubic meters. cm.

I.P. Davitaya (1952) also provides literature data on the lethal dose of air for various animal species. For a dog, this is up to 80 cubic meters. cm, for rabbits 4-5, for a horse 4000, for a person from 400 to 6000 cc. cm. When calculated per 1 kg of weight for rabbits, this is 0.8-4, for a cat 5, for a dog from 5 to 7 ml. I.P. Davitaya reports a case that occurred in 1944 in one of the Berlin clinics. In order to “facilitate death”, an incurable patient with stomach cancer was injected with 300 ml of air into the cubital vein, and the patient endured it. The case is an example of "care" for a person in a capitalist society and the unseemly role of "doctors" in this. Obviously, the lethal dose of air, in addition to a number of general circumstances and patterns, is also determined by the characteristics of the individual.

I.V. Davydovsky (1954) points out that only 15-20 cubic meters should be considered the maximum harmless dose for a person. see air. This calculation follows from the fact that surgeons sometimes observe the suction of air into the jugular veins without any special consequences. Such suction occurs in a volume of 12-20 cubic meters. see Decisive for the outcome of embolism, according to I.V. Davydovsky, is not only the amount of air and the speed of its entry into the veins, but also the distance from the site of injury to the vessel to the heart. Wounds in the region of the superior vena cava are more dangerous than in the region of the inferior vena cava, V. Felix (1957) considers that during an air embolism the amount of air in the range of 17-100 is a lethal dose for a person, for dogs up to 370 cubic meters. cm..."

Diagnosis of an air embolism on a corpse

Macroscopic signs of an air embolism

Venous air embolism

  • Expansion of the right half of the heart on examination, which sometimes appears balloon-like swollen.
  • Translucence of foamy, containing air bubbles, blood through the wall of the right ear
  • Air bubbles are visible through the walls of the inferior vena cava and pulmonary veins at the roots of the lungs (when significant volumes of air enter).
  • Floating of an air-containing heart to the surface of water when water is poured into the pericardial sac.
  • Floating when an isolated heart is immersed in water, i.e. heart, which, after preliminary ligation of the vessels entering and departing from it, together with the lungs, is removed from the chest cavity or cut off from the organocomplex.
  • The presence of air in the cavities of the heart (see Suntsov's test).
  • The presence in the cavities of the heart of blood clots containing air bubbles. If such a blood clot containing air bubbles is immersed in a vessel with water, it floats to the surface (MV Lisakovich, 1958).
  • Isolation of foamy blood from the inferior vena cava when it is opened under water poured into the peritoneal cavity - Adrianov's test (A.D. Adrianov, 1955).
  • Drainage of foamy blood from the surface of the incisions of the liver (see the sample of Grigorieva P.V.), kidneys and spleen. (Thus, the flow of foamy blood from the surface of the incision of the liver, kidneys and spleen can be observed not only in venous air embolism, but also in other causes of death. This shows that this symptom cannot be considered specific for venous air embolism; it has only an auxiliary value .)

“... There are indications (Desyatov, 1956, Lisakovich, 1958) that subendocardial hemorrhages are noted during experimental venous air embolism and that they can be regarded as a sign of venous air embolism. ... there is every reason to believe that hemorrhages under the endocardium are not a diagnostic sign of venous air embolism. Firstly, they may be absent altogether, as was the case in our experiments on animals, and secondly, they may be observed in connection with other causes, in particular, with blood loss, which is often combined with air embolism ... "

„... It must be assumed that the absence of specific macroscopically distinguishable changes in the brain during arterial air embolism is one of the reasons for the difficulties encountered in diagnosing this type of death. Macroscopically visible changes in the brain described by a number of authors, according to their own statement, are nonspecific for arterial air embolism and can occur with other causes of death. These include, first of all, air bubbles in the vessels of the pia mater and hemorrhages in the substance of the brain ... "

Histological features of an air embolism

„... Microscopic data are scarce, but they should not be neglected. In the vessels of the lungs, cellular structures are revealed. Of great diagnostic importance is the establishment under a microscope of aerothrombi, which look like cavities surrounded by fibrin filaments and blood cells. Such thrombi in the heart can be located parietal, between the muscle bars and under the valves.

In the liver, brain and kidneys, plethora and edema are found. In the spleen - anemia of the red pulp, in the lungs atelectasis, edema, hemorrhages, areas of emphysema, rupture of the interalveolar septa. If 1-2 hours have passed from the moment of embolism to death, then microscopically small hemorrhages and foci of necrosis are detected in the brain, and dystrophic processes in other organs.“

Venous air embolism

„...“Foamy blood” in the vessels of the lungs was revealed by us not only in drowning, but also in other causes of death. The detection of a sign of "foamy blood" in the vessels of the lungs in cases of sudden death, diseases of the cardiovascular system and lungs, with various kinds of asphyxia (including drowning), electrical injury and other causes of death gives reason to believe that in the mechanism of penetration of air bubbles into the vessels of the lungs the state of the lung tissue and its vessels plays a role, in particular, the permeability of the walls of the vessels of the lungs and intrapulmonary pressure, which can increase with the indicated causes of death ... "

Arterial air embolism

  • Air emboli when examining the vascular plexuses of the brain under a stereomicroscope.
  • Air emboli in the vessels of the fundus and in the anterior chamber of the eye under the cornea.

“The choroid plexuses are superimposed at the base of the ligatures from a thin thread and then they are cut outside these ligatures. The choroid plexuses are then carefully dissected out of the ventricular cavities with tweezers and scissors. It must be emphasized that, on human corpses, removal of the choroid plexuses from the cavities of the ventricles should be carried out only after their preliminary ligation at the base. Without this, due to the wide lumen of the plexus vessels in humans, which is much larger than in animals, the possibility of air entering the plexus vessels if they are damaged during removal is not ruled out. The imposition of ligatures on them prevents this possibility ...

After extraction, the choroid plexuses are placed on glass slides and examined in the light. At the same time, air bubbles in the plexus vessels are clearly visible to the naked eye. However, these air bubbles are especially well and clearly visible when examining the choroid plexuses under a microscope. To study the choroid plexuses placed on glass slides, a biological microscope is used under normal low illumination of the preparation ...

The presence of "foamy blood" in the vessels of the brain occurs not only in death from arterial air embolism, but also in other causes of death, and this symptom is not specific to air embolism of the systemic circulation ... "

Sources

Publications on the topic of air embolism

  1. Blyakhman S.D. Air embolism in case of injury with blunt and firearms Abstracts of reports for the eleventh extended conference of the Leningrad branch of VNOSM and K and the scientific session of the Institute of Forensic Medicine of the Ministry of Health of the USSR June 27-30, 1961 // L., 1961, 59-61.
  2. Zharkova E.B. Air embolism as a complication during infusion into the veins of the head // Collection of works on forensic medicine and forensic chemistry Perm, 1961, 107 - 109.
  3. Monastyrskaya V.I., Blyakhman S.D. Air embolism in forensic and dissecting practice. Dushanbe, 1963, 133 p.
  4. Blyakhman S.D. Air embolism in transport injury // Proceedings of the Republican Bureau of Forensic Medical Examination and the Department of Forensic Medicine of the Tajik State Medical Institute. Dushanbe, 1963, 8, 121-124.
  5. Blyakhman S.D. Air embolism in transport injury and ways to detect it // Proceedings of the 5th All-Union Scientific Conference of Forensic Physicians. M.,<Медицина>. L, 1969, 1, 84-86.
  6. Abaev A.A. False air embolism on cadavers after fibrinolytic blood sampling // Forensic Medical Examination. M., 1969, 2, 45-46.
  7. Raykhman V.I. Air embolism in therapeutic pneumoperitoneum // Healthcare of Belarus. Minsk, 1971, 1, 83.
  8. Figurnov V.A., Toroyan I.A. Air embolism as a complication of tuberculous lymphadenitis // Forensic medical examination. 1988. No. 4. S. 54.