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(Chest. 2006;130:575-577.)
© 2006 American College of Chest Physicians

Intrapulmonary Bronchogenic Cyst and Cerebral Gas Embolism in an Aircraft Flight Passenger*

Francisco Aécio Almeida, MD; Bryan X. DeSouza, MD; Thomas Meyer, MD, FCCP; Susan Gregory, MD, FCCP and Lee Greenspon, MD, FCCP

* From the Division of Critical Care, Pulmonary, Allergic, and Immunologic Diseases (Dr. Almeida), Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia; and the Divisions of Neurology (Dr. DeSouza), and Pulmonary Diseases and Critical Care (Drs. Meyer, Gregory, and Greenspon), Lankenau Hospital, Wynnewood, PA.

Correspondence to: Francisco Aécio Almeida, MD, Division of Critical Care, Pulmonary, Allergic, and Immunologic Diseases, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, 834 Walnut St, Suite 650, Philadelphia, PA 19107; e-mail: francisco.almeida{at}jefferson.edu

Although it is estimated that > 1 billion passengers travel by air worldwide each year, the incidence of in-flight emergencies is low. However, due to nonstandardized reporting requirements for in-flight medical emergencies, the true incidence of pulmonary barotrauma in airplane passengers is unknown. We describe the case of a passenger with an asymptomatic intrapulmonary cyst in whom a severe case of cerebral gas embolism developed during an aircraft flight. The decrease in ambient pressure during the aircraft climb resulted in expansion of the cyst volume based on Boyle’s law (pressure x volume = constant). Due to the cyst expansion, we believe tears in the wall led to the leakage of air into the surrounding vessels followed by brain gas emboli. Adult patients with intrapulmonary cysts should be strongly considered for cyst resection or should at least be advised to abstain from activities leading to considerable changes in ambient pressure.

Key Words: air embolism • bronchogenic cyst • gas embolism • pulmonary cyst






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Copyright © 2006 by the American College of Chest Physicians.