Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Cat dies from venous air embolism during throat procedure
By Ober, Christopher P et al.·Published in Veterinary radiology & ultrasound : the official journal of the American College of Veterinary Radiology and the International Veterinary Radiology Association·2006·Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Fatal venous air embolism in a cat with a retropharyngeal diverticulum.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A cat with a history of swallowing foreign objects was undergoing an endoscopy when it suddenly went into cardiac arrest. Unfortunately, the cat did not survive, and further examination revealed that it had developed a dangerous condition called venous air embolism, where air bubbles enter the bloodstream. This situation is rare but can happen during procedures that allow air into the body. It's important for pet owners to be aware of this risk and discuss safety measures with their veterinarian before any procedure.
People also search for: cat cardiac arrest during endoscopy · venous air embolism in cats · risks of cat endoscopy
Abstract
A cat with a 1-year history of oropharyngeal foreign bodies was diagnosed with a pharyngeal diverticulum. The cat experienced fatal cardiac arrest during endoscopy, and postmortem radiographs and ultrasound revealed venous air embolism. Venous air embolism is uncommonly reported in veterinary medicine, but is a risk during any procedure that introduces air into a body cavity. Precautions should be taken during these procedures to help minimize the risk of adverse events.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16553147/