Vascular Air Embolism Complicating Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy: Medical Malpractice or Fatal Unforeseeable Complication?

Vascular air embolism (VAE) can be a lethal complication of surgical approaches, and it has been documented in various urologic procedures. A case of VAE complicating a percutaneous nephrolithotomy in a 47-year-old man is presented, well documented by immunohistochemical examination of lung samples and three-dimensional imaging of histologic sections with confocal laser scanning microscopy.