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Easley, SC
A 28-year-old female asked:

I had a subq injection thurs and think there might have been some air left in the syringe. i feel fine but how long would air embolism symptoms take?

3 doctor answers8 doctors weighed in
Dr. Bradford Romans
A Verified Doctoranswered
Internal Medicine 39 years experience
You can't get an air: embolism with a sub-q injection.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
Dr. Elizabeth Wallen
Pediatrics 37 years experience
You're safe: An air embolism needs to go directly into your vein to cause you harm. A tiny bit of air in the subcutaneous tissue is completely harmless. An air embolus would also affect you instantly. You can get some rest now and stop worrying.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
Dr. Eva Pickler
Specializes in Obstetrics and Gynecology
Air in syringe: The small amount of air that would be in a syringe for a subcutaneous injection is not concerning. It has likely been absorbed by now. An air embolism comes from air injected into a blood vessel, not body tissue. You have no worries
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
Last updated Jan 7, 2015

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