Abstract:
In our study, performed during 2 years in the University hospital of Neurosurgery in Tuebingen, 200 consecutive patients were included. Preoperatively 52 of these patients were diagnosed with PFO. All procedures were performed in semi-sitting position. Rates of air embolism according to our five-scale grading: grade I: 79 patients (39,5%) , grade II: 13 (6,5%), grade III:12 (6,0%), grade IV:5 (2,5%), grade V: 0 (0,0%). There were no mortalities, new or unexplained neurosurgical deficits caused by air embolism in our study.