Certified Flight Registered Nurse (CFRN) Practice Exam

Which gas law is responsible for an arterial gas embolism during patient transport?

1. Charles's Law

2. Boyle's Law

3. Henry's Law

4. Graham's Law

The correct answer is: Boyle's Law

Boyle's Law is relevant to the occurrence of an arterial gas embolism during patient transport because it describes the inverse relationship between the pressure and volume of a gas. According to Boyle's Law, if the volume of a gas decreases, the pressure increases, and vice versa, provided the temperature remains constant. In the context of decompression and transport, as a patient ascends in altitude (for example, during air transport) the decrease in ambient pressure causes any nitrogen that was dissolved in the blood under higher pressure conditions (such as in divers) to come out of solution. This rapid release of gas forms bubbles in the bloodstream, leading to an arterial gas embolism. The understanding of Boyle's Law is crucial for medical professionals to anticipate and manage this risk during transport of patients who might be at risk for gas embolism, particularly those with a history of diving or other activities that involve pressure changes. The other gas laws, while important in their own rights, do not specifically address the mechanics of how gas behaves under changing pressures and volumes in a way that directly relates to the formation of emboli in the blood vessels during pressure changes experienced during transport.