air embolism

air embolism, aeroembolism

n

(Medicine) the presence in the tissues and blood of a gas, such as air or nitrogen bubbles, caused by an injection of air or, in the case of nitrogen, by an abrupt and substantial reduction in the ambient pressure See decompression sickness

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	air embolism - obstruction of the circulatory system caused by an air bubble as, e.g., accidentally during surgery or hypodermic injection or as a complication from scuba diving aeroembolism, gas embolism embolism - occlusion of a blood vessel by an embolus (a loose clot or air bubble or other particle)
	2.	air embolism - pain resulting from rapid change in pressure bends, caisson disease, decompression sickness, gas embolism, aeroembolism illness, sickness, unwellness, malady - impairment of normal physiological function affecting part or all of an organism