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A member asked:
Is air embolism lethal?
6 doctors weighed in across 2 answers
It depends.: Two critical issues. Volume of air and where the air goes. For example if a small amount of air enters a vein and travels through an intact heart to the lungs it is trapped by the lungs and causes no problem. However if the air embolism is caused by a burst air sac in the lung as can happen in scuba, or if there is "hole" (patent foramen) in the heart, a small amount of air (<1 oz) can be fatal.
Answered 2/10/2017
5k views
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It can be: Air emboli can be very lethal.
Answered 7/15/2014
3.9k views
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