Air embolization of a left ventricular assist device in a child: an unusual case of a tension pneumothorax resulting in a fatal complication.

Our goal was to describe a fatal air embolization that probably occurred through an inflow cannula implantation site as a result of a tension pneumothorax in a child with a left ventricular assist device. This is the first case that highlights the possibility of a left ventricular assist device air embolism in a child with a pneumothorax, especially a tension pneumothorax. The risk of air embolism increases with positive pressure in the pleural and pericardial cavities.