CEREBRAL CARBON-DIOXIDE EMBOLISM DURING LAPAROSCOPIC CHOLECYSTECTOMY

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy has become the procedure of choice in the treatment of symptomatic cholecystolithiasis. Low morbidity and low incidence of serious complications have confirmed the advantages of laparoscopic surgery. The increasing popularity of minimal invasive techniques in gynecologic and general surgery is leading to a higher incidence of rare complications (1). The major problems during laparoscopic surgery are related to the cardiopulmonary effects of gas insufflation, venous gas embolism, pneumoperitoneum, systemic carbon dioxide resorption, extraperitoneal gas insufflation, and unintentional injury to intraabdominal structures (2). We describe a well documented case of venous embolism followed by cerebral arterial carbon dioxide embolism.