“Air embolism was a well-recognized and dreaded complication of hemodialysis in the early stages of the therapy. With the use of air detection alarm systems in dialysis circuits; however, intradialytic air embolism has become exceedingly rare in modern dialysis. Nonetheless, there are still occasional reports of hemodialysis-related air embolism today. A man in his 60s with end-stage kidney disease and chronic systolic heart failure had been receiving thrice weekly intermittent hemodialysis (HD) via a tunneled dialysis catheter because of failed access creation. The catheter was last exchanged 4 years prior. During the 6 months leading up to presentation, he experienced multiple episodes of unexplained intradialytic cardiopulmonary collapse including asystole and pulseless electric activity despite placement of a permanent pacemaker.”

Kim T, Hentschel DM, Mount DB, Ravi KS. Undetected Air Embolism During Hemodialysis from a Defective Central Venous Catheter Causing Intradialytic Cardiac Arrest: An Imaging Teaching Case. Kidney Med. 2024 Oct 16;6(11):100915. doi: 10.1016/j.xkme.2024.100915. PMID: 39524024; PMCID: PMC11550154.