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Pulmonary barotrauma
From WikEM
Contents
Background
- Occurs when diver breathing compressed air ascends too rapidly
- Symptoms occur minutes to hours after surfacing
- Can occur without rapid ascent in patients with obstructive lung disease
- Lung rupture can lead to pneumomediastinum, pneumothorax, or air embolism
- Pneumomediastinum and pneumothorax do not require recompression
Clinical Features
Differential Diagnosis
Scuba Diving Emergencies
- Barotrauma of descent
- Barotrauma of ascent
- Pulmonary barotrauma (pulmonary overpressurization syndrome)
- Decompression sickness (DCS)
- Arterial gas embolism
- At depth injuries
- Oxygen toxicity
- Nitrogen narcosis
- Hypothermia
- Contaminated gas mixture (e.g. CO toxicity)
Barotrauma Types
- Otic barotrauma
- Pulmonary barotrauma
- Sinus barotrauma
