Left Heart and Systemic Arterial Circulation Air Embolus During CT-Guided Lung Biopsy

A transthoracic needle biopsy (TTNB) of the lung, commonly referred to as a “lung biopsy,” is a commonly performed procedure in Interventional Radiology. It is usually associated with well-known risks including pneumothorax and hemothorax. One of the rare and lesser-known risks of TTNB, however, is a phenomenon called an air embolism. The term “air embolism” alone may be somewhat ambiguous, as it could indicate i) air entering the systemic veins, or ii) air entering the pulmonary veins. Here, we present a case of an air embolus entering the pulmonary veins. The pulmonary veins naturally drain into the left side of the heart (left atrium and ventricle) which provides oxygenated blood to the major arteries of the body including the coronary, carotid, and major abdominal visceral branches. Therefore, an air embolism in this vasculature can lead to potentially devastating hemodynamic consequences downstream.