I would have thought that an air bubble gets popped and we move on. That the gas eventually dissolves and gets passed somehow.
So, what’s going on? Why does the heart stop so violently? It acts like there was an implosion on the inside…
In: 1487
There are some wild numbers being thrown around on here for what volume is safe. I will say this. Most IV tubing holds from 8-20mls. A small bubble which you see is usually around 0.3mls.
A test that is done frequently is called a bubble study. During this 5-10mls of air is agitated in a syringe with saline and purposely injected into a peripheral vein while the heart is watched via ultrasound (echocardiogram).
This is considered a routine and safe procedure. So I always tell people it would take roughly 2 full tubings full of air before it could cause harm.
Latest Answers