Survey of literature related to the problems of gas embolism in human body

Abstract

This survey is concerned with academic and clinical researches related to the problems of gas embolism in the human body which have commonly been regarded as a dreaded complication of a variety of surgical, therapeutic and diagnostic technics. The gas emboli may be found in the human body through surgery, decompression, transfusion of oxygenerated blood, and anesthesia, etc. The survey indicates that the cases so far investigated can be classified into those in the cardiovascular, muscular, respiratory, and reproductive systems and other parts of the human body. Most of the existing literature deals with detection, identification, prevention and treatment procedures. No apparent effort has been made on the study of their dynamic behavior in the blood, interstitial fluids and organs where they are formed. An attempt is made to prompt further research in the field of embolus dynamics by describing what needs to be investigated.