Synonyms

air embolism

British

noun

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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Partaking in them is not without risk—ozone therapy, for example, has the potential side effect of something called an air embolism, which can lead to a stroke or heart attack.

From Slate • Mar. 30, 2026

"We know these babies suffered air embolism because of the post-mortem imaging in some of them," says Neena Modi, a professor of neonatal medicine.

From BBC • Aug. 11, 2025

As with the allegations of air embolism, the prosecution relied heavily on the opinions of experts to make their case.

From BBC • Oct. 19, 2024

Research on air embolism in babies is very limited - something the prosecution’s own experts readily admitted.

From BBC • Oct. 19, 2024

Fat and air embolism have already been referred to.

From Manual of Surgery Volume First: General Surgery. Sixth Edition. by Thomson, Alexis

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023