Table 1.
Patient Characteristics, Clinical Symptoms, Imaging Findings, Treatment, and Outcome
| Characteristics | Total Cohort (n = 15) |
|---|---|
| Age, median (range) | 68 (25–85) |
| Sex, female, n (%) | 8 (53) |
| Presenting signs | |
| Impaired consciousness | 7 |
| Focal neurologic deficit | 10 |
| Seizure | 2 |
| Procedure | |
| Lung biopsy | 5 |
| Chest tube placement and/or lavage | 3 |
| Removal jugular central venous catheter | 2 |
| Direct arterial introduction of air | 2 |
| Direct venous introduction of air | 1 |
| Bronchoscopy | 1 |
| Gastroscopy | 1 |
| Seizure, n (%) | 11 (73) |
| Acute imaging, n (%) | 14 (93) |
| CT | 13 |
| MRI | 1 |
| Findings acute imaging | |
| Intracranial air | 10 |
| Focal edema | 3 |
| Ischemia | 1 |
| Treatment with HBOT, n (%) | 14 (93) |
| Sedation and invasive ventilation, n (%) | 6 (40) |
| Before HBOT | 5 |
| After HBOT | 1 |
| Findings follow-up imaging, n (%) | 9 (60) |
| Focal edema | 3 |
| Ischemia | 6 |
| None | 2 |
| Medication | |
| Benzodiazepine, n (%) | 6 (55) |
| AED, n (%) | 10 (91) |
| Levetiracetam | 9 |
| Valproic acid | 2 |
| Phenytoin | 1 |
| Recurrent seizures at follow-up | 0 |
| AED at follow-up, n (%) | 4 (27) |
AED = anti-epileptic drug, HBOT = hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
Modified Rankin Scale: 0 no symptoms, 1 no significant disability, 2 slight disability but functional independence, 3 moderate disability requiring some assistance, 4 moderately severe disability requiring assistance for walking and bodily needs, 5 severe disability requiring constant care, and 6 dead.