A fatal gas embolism during a hysteroscopy-curettage
Vo Van, J.M.; Nguyen, N.Q.; Le Bervet, J.Y.
Cahiers d'Anesthesiologie 40(8): 617-618
1992
ISSN/ISBN: 0007-9685 PMID: 1297536 Document Number: 388596
A 26 year old woman without any pathological history except metrorrhagia underwent a hysteroscopy under epidural anaesthesia and uterine cavity dilatation by saline solution. A respiratory distress and cardoffirculatory arrest occurred at the end of the procedure. Despite several attempts of cardiorespiratory resuscitation the patient deceased. The diagnosis retained was a gas embolism caused by blast effect from reintroduction of the hysteroscope into the uterine cavity. Different mandatory security measures are evoked.