

The most serious consequence of barotrauma is a pulmonary alveolar rupture with antecedent air gas embolism. Additionally, injury to the lung from positive airway ventilation is a special case of barotrauma. The most serious form of ascent barotrauma is pulmonary injury.

Barotrauma on ascent may similarly result in the ear, sinus, and dental trauma (tooth explosion). Sinus squeeze can be excruciating, usually in the setting of chronic sinusitis with occluded ostia. Ear squeeze can occur in the ear canal or middle ear.
Barotrauma lungs skin#
Mask squeeze can cause skin ecchymosis imprinting the mask pattern on the face, conjunctival hemorrhage, and rarely, orbital hemorrhage. Dental squeeze can cause an implosion of carious teeth. The ‘squeezes’ are caused by the inability to equalize pressure on the descent, classically across the face mask, sinuses, teeth, or ear. Barotrauma occurs most commonly while scuba diving, but also may occur during flying, mountain climbing, or skiing. During scuba diving, barotrauma may be caused by descending or ascending too rapidly. Due to the density of water, pressure during a dive increases one additional 1 Atm for every 33 feet of seawater depth. Both of these measurements are equivalent to one atmosphere (1 Atm or 1 Barr). This is also measured in millimeters of mercury as 760mmHg. Atmospheric pressure at mean sea level is 14.7 psi. Similarly, the compressed air held in a diver’s lung, if he holds his breath, will expand as the surrounding water pressure decreases on the ascent. A balloon that rises in the atmosphere will expand in volume as the ambient pressure decreases.

read more after a dive should be referred to a diving medicine specialist for assessment of risks of future dives.According to Boyle’s Law of Gases, if the temperature of a gas is held constant, there is an inverse relationship between the volume of the gas and its pressure. The main causes of pneumomediastinum are Alveolar rupture with dissection of air into the interstitium of the lung with translocation to. Patients with pneumomediastinum Pneumomediastinum Pneumomediastinum is air in mediastinal interstices. read more may be at risk of pulmonary barotrauma, although many people with asthma can dive safely after they are evaluated and treated appropriately. Patients with asthma Asthma Asthma is a disease of diffuse airway inflammation caused by a variety of triggering stimuli resulting in partially or completely reversible bronchoconstriction. Such individuals should not dive or work in areas of compressed air. read more, or previous spontaneous pneumothorax. Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency and various occupational. read more, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is airflow limitation caused by an inflammatory response to inhaled toxins, often cigarette smoke. read more during diving include those with pulmonary bullae, Marfan syndrome Marfan Syndrome Marfan syndrome consists of connective tissue anomalies resulting in ocular, skeletal, and cardiovascular abnormalities (eg, dilation of ascending aorta, which can lead to aortic dissection). Pneumothorax can occur spontaneously or result from trauma or medical procedures. Patients at high risk for pneumothorax Pneumothorax Pneumothorax is air in the pleural space causing partial or complete lung collapse. Proper ascent timing and techniques are essential. Prevention of pulmonary barotrauma is usually the top priority.
