Medical Doctors / related health professionals, PLEASE answer my question ?

Question

OK,

So, it is a well known fact that injecting sufficient air into the bloodstream through an empty syringe causes death.

Q1). My question is that if somebody injects air into the carotid artery of a person, will it have the same deadly effect as thrusting a knife into the carotid artery ?

Q2). Would the victim die faster, slower, or at about the same rate when done properly ?

Q3). Would the attack have the same "shock value" as a knife through the carotid artery region ?

PLEASE NOTE: I am NOT contemplating committing an act of violence against anyone. Actually, I was reading a book that discusses silent killing techniques of the Special Forces. I came across the technique called the 'carotid thrust' and the syringe analogy just came into my mind.

So what do you think ? Please do not hesitate to get a bit technical as I am a Life Sciences student. Just too embarrassed to ask my professors.

Thank you very much for your time and effort.

God Bless.

Answer 1

1. It requires 20 to 30 cc of injected air to cause death by air embolism in the pulmonary vasculature.

2. Injecting air (say 20 cc) into the carotid artery would lead to stroke like symptoms on that side with weakness and loss of sensation  on the opposite side, and partial loss of vision , also depending on the side loss of speech and mentation but not rapid death. It might not kill at all.

Even with the confluent circulation of the Cirle of Willis a majority of symptoms would be one-sided.