Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Cat dies from air embolism during dental extraction under anesthesia
By Gunew, M et al.·Published in The Journal of small animal practice·2008·The Cat Clinic, Australia·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Fatal venous air embolism in a cat undergoing dental extractions.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A five-year-old domestic shorthair cat went in for dental extractions under general anesthesia but sadly suffered a cardiac arrest during the procedure. Despite attempts to revive her, she did not survive. A post-mortem examination revealed that air had entered her bloodstream, which caused a fatal air embolism. This incident highlights the risks associated with using high-speed dental drills in veterinary dentistry, particularly if there are existing dental issues.
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Abstract
A five-year-old domestic shorthair cat underwent general anaesthesia and tooth extractions. Immediately after use of a high-speed, air-driven, water-cooled dental drill, the cat suffered cardiac arrest and attempted resuscitation was unsuccessful. Post-mortem radiographs showed air in the vena cava, right atrium, right auricle and right ventricle, hepatic and renal veins. These findings were confirmed at post-mortem examination. The cause of death was massive air embolism. There are reports of fatal venous air embolism in the human literature from the use of high-speed, air-driven, water-cooled dental drills. In this case, we believe that the air jet from the cooling system provided an enormous pressure gradient allowing air entry through an alveolar bone fracture or the inflamed gingival tissues. This is the first report of fatal venous air embolism associated with the use of a high-speed dental drill in the veterinary literature.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19006491/