Pulmonary barotrauma is a kind of disease caused by the injury of lung tissue or blood vessel when the gas pressure of lung is too high or too lower than the external pressure of the body, which causes the air to enter the blood vessel and adjacent tissue. It could be happened in the escape of the divers with the light diving equipment or the sailors from submarine. Generally, the decompression chamber was used to treating the disease, and the minimum air pressure of 0.5 MPa recompression therapeutic schedule was used to selecting. In November 2019, a patient with pulmonary barotrauma combined with cerebral arterial gas embolism caused by improper underwater escape with light diving equipment was admitted to the General Hospital of Eastern War Zone. He was treated with 0.12 MPa oxygen inhalation recompression scheme in the oxygen chamber pressurized with air. 7 days later, the patient recovered and discharged.
Barotrauma/complications* ; Decompression Sickness/complications* ; Diving/adverse effects* ; Embolism, Air/etiology* ; Humans ; Lung Injury ; Male

Animals ; Decompression Sickness ; Gamma Rays/adverse effects* ; Lung/radiation effects* ; Lung Injury ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Background: Compressor fishing is a strategy adopted by small-scale artisanal fishers of coastal communities in Panay, Western Visayas. The practice persists among subsistence Lampirong fisher-divers whose livelihood depends on seasonal fishing. Placuna placenta known locally as Lampirong, is valued for its shells, which are made into shell craft like the famous capiz window. Related studies which examined traditional diving practices and compressor fishing identified risk factors such as inappropriate dive training and use of unsuitable diving gears.
Objective: The study aimed to investigate the plight and health risks associated with common malpractices among Lampirong fisher-divers who utilize the compressor fishing strategy.
Methodology: In this ethnographic study, five (5) Lampirong fisher-divers narrated the health risks and managing practices that they have adapted to survive compressor fishing. Primary data from field observation and interviews with the fisher-divers as well as secondary data from related studies were utilized for comparison and analysis. Considering the health risks that compressor fishing poses to fisher-divers, this study attempted a reflexive position drawing from the principle of ecological public health.
Results: The health risks of compressor fishing are known to fisher-divers, thus, they have developed managing practices which include observance of certain clear-cut rules (the do's and don'ts) to ensure underwater survival. Improvised diving gears are worn but barely protect the Lampirong fisher-divers from decompression illness or sickness. Related studies validated these symptoms such as nose bleed, dull pain in the ears, blood dripping from the ears, headache, and physical fatigue from prolonged dives. They rationalized the practice of Lampirong compressor fishing as a means to bring food to the table for families in fishing communities.
Conclusion: While the Philippine law prohibits or regulates compressor fishing, there is still a need for a policy or program that will address the health risks caused by compressor fishing.

Decompression Sickness

We presented a patient with cerebral decompression sickness, who showed predominant vasogenic edema on a 3.0 Tesla (3T) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings, including diffusion-weighted image (DWI) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) mapping. Within minutes of surfacing, he developed paresis of the right lower limb. During transport, he began shivering, followed by severe spasm that eventually progressed to a tonic-clonic seizure. Emergent hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) was performed with U.S. Navy treatment table 6A after a treatment of seizure activity. Brain MRI was performed after hyperbaric oxygen therapy to detect any cerebral lesions, which showed subcortical hyperintensity signal changes in the left fronto-parietal region on the ADC map. Overlying cortical hyperintensity on DWI sequences and cortical hypointensity on the ADC map were simultaneously observed. Moreover, these findings disappeared in a followup MRI with complete resolution of symptoms. These findings indicate that vasogenic edema can cause cerebral decompression sickness (DCS) and that 3T MRI with DWI and ADC mapping may be useful for diagnosing cerebral DCS. In addition, these findings suggest that DW-MRI may also be useful in predicting the prognosis of cerebral DCS.
Brain ; Brain Edema ; Decompression Sickness* ; Decompression* ; Diffusion ; Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Edema ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hyperbaric Oxygenation ; Lower Extremity ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Paresis ; Prognosis ; Seizures ; Shivering ; Spasm

The petrous and cavernous parts of internal carotid artery (ICA) are obscure and are not readily accessible to observation/imaging. These parts have broad biological and medical interest because of their peculiar shape. Given the their clinical importance and the scarce data available based mostly on imaging, the present study was aimed at studying these parts of ICA by dissection. The study was carried out on 56 ICAs obtained from embalmed adult cadavers and 10 ICAs from five fetuses. The foetal ICAs were studied in situ. The morphometric analysis of the adult ICA was done after its removal from cranial cavity to gain an insight into the geometry of the vessel, i.e., length, various bends, and diameters at various locations. ICAs in fetuses ran a relatively straighter course taking gentle curves at three positions (two intrapetrous, one cavernous). Adult ICAs were more tortuous and exhibited greater variability in length and angulations. The length of respective portions of the ICA correlate negatively with the measure of angles. The angles in the petrous and cavernous parts were positively correlated to each other. The carotid siphon was positively, highly significantly correlated to other angles. Longer vessels are more tortuous with acute bends. An acute carotid siphon is an indication of more tortuous ICA. The findings of the present study have created a reference data of unsuspected adult population and has potential implications for studying cause/effect relationship of vessel geometry and hemodynamic factors.
Adult ; Cadaver ; Carotid Artery, Internal* ; Decompression Sickness ; Fetus ; Hemodynamics ; Humans

A bent lighted stylet has demonstrated effectiveness for intubating patients with difficult airways. We report a case of successful intubation using a lighted stylet that was bent to configure the upper airway passage in a patient with ankylosis of the temporo-mandibualr joint and a small inter-incisor gap with diffuse submandibular abscesses. We suppose that lighted stylets with different bends can be used in difficult airway cases. The usefulness of a bent lighted stylet to fit the upper airway passage needs further evaluation for additional clinical application.
Abscess* ; Ankylosis* ; Decompression Sickness ; Humans ; Intubation* ; Intubation, Intratracheal ; Joints ; Temporomandibular Joint*

PURPOSE: Acute dysbarism is a potentially lethal injury associated with environmental medicine. Therefore, prompt treatment, including transportation of victims, is important for the best prognosis. The aim of this study was to examine transportation routes of patients with acute dysbarism for the best prognosis in Korea. METHODS: Geography of South Korea was analyzed using the geographic information system (GIS). The study examined two scenarios using transportation analysis, which relies on a GIS base and pressure variation during air and ground transportation. Given the practical assumptions, we propose some heuristic transportation routes based on the simulation of altitude, transportation time, and availability of related factors. RESULTS: Currently, transportation by ground to the treatment facilities always passes high altitude areas above 152 feet. Also, available helicopters for air transportation could not approach the treatment facilities due to the limitation of flying distance and insufficiency of medical staff and treatment equipment. Altitude variation and delayed time were identified during the period of transportation by ground from Ganneung or Incheon to Tongyoung. Heuristic algorism through the above facts recommends air transport along coasts as the best method for transportation from Ganneung or Incheon to Tongyoung. CONCLUSION: In Korea, transportation by ground was not expected to result in the best prognosis for patients with acute dysbarism. Transportation by air should be considered first as the method of transportation. Also, for the best treatment of patients with acute dysbarism, additional treatment facilities need to be established in the west coast region.
Aircraft ; Altitude ; Decompression Sickness ; Diptera ; Environmental Medicine ; Foot ; Geographic Information Systems ; Geography ; Geography, Medical ; Humans ; Incheon ; Korea ; Medical Staff ; Prognosis* ; Transportation of Patients ; Transportation*

OBJECTIVETo analyze and summarize the characteristics and treatment of acute spinal cord decompression sickness. To explore the factors that influence the treatment effect.

METHODS77 cases of acute spinal cord decompression sickness patients should be divided into 4 groups according to the pressurized treatment and drug treatment options. They were group I, group II, group III and group IV. At the same time they were get hyperbaric oxygen therapy and other treatment. The evaluation index, were Frankel function classification and paraplegia index. There were 17 factors that affected the treatment effect.

RESULTSThe rate of early cure was 57.14% (44/77). The rate of late cure was 74.03% (57/77). Their difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). In 3 months and 1 year the cure rate of group IV and group B were the highest. But there was no difference between them(P>0.05). They were higher than group ii and group I (P<0.05). The Frankel function classification in 3months and 1 year in each group was higher than before treatment (P<0.05). The paraplegia index in 3 months and 1 year in each group was lower than before treatment (P<0.05). In 3 months and 1 year the Frankel function classification was increased gradually and the paraplegia index was decreased gradually in group I , group II, group III (P<0.05). In group IV and group III the Frankel function and the paraplegia index had not significant difference (P>0.05). Among the 17 factors that affect the treatment effect there are 9 factors that affect the proportion of the large.

CONCLUSIONSThe first choice of treatment method for the patients with acute spinal cord decompression sickness would be group III. Drug therapy was also imporpant. At the same time the hyperbaric oxygen therapy and other treatments were taken. Although the cure rate was not high in this article. But most of the cure is within 3 months. Within 1 year.the cure rate still could be improved. 9 factors that affect the efficacy of acute spinal cord decompression sickness was more noteworthy.

Decompression Sickness ; therapy ; Diving ; adverse effects ; Humans ; Hyperbaric Oxygenation ; Paraplegia ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Spinal Cord ; physiopathology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of different pressure oxygen pre-breathing in preventing decompression sickness of rats.

METHODSForty male SD rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: decompression sickness (DCS) group and three oxygen pre-breathing groups with 1 ATA, 2 ATA and 3 ATA pressure respectively. The rats of DCS group were placed in the hyperbaric chamber and the chamber was compressed evenly within 3 minutes to depths of 7 absolute atmosphere(ATA) and held at the designated depth for 60 min, then decompressed (3 min) at constant speed to the surface pressure. After that, the rats were taken out for further detection. While the rats of oxygen pretreatment groups pre-breathed different pressure oxygen for 20 min before entering into chamber. The mortality and behavioral of rats were observed with 30 min post decompression. The dry/wet ratio of the lung, protein levels in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), and the inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor (TNF-alpha) expression were also tested.

RESULTSCompared with that of the DCS group, the mortality and morbidity of oxygen pre-breathe groups didn't change obviously. But the total BALF protein level and the inflammatory cytokine TNF-alpha expression of 1 ATA oxygen pre-breathe group were obviously decreased, while the dry/wet ratio of lung as obviously increased instead (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONAlthough preoxygenation can' t obviously change the mortality and mobidity of rats, normal pressure oxygen pre-breathing can mitigate the protein infiltration in BALF and the expression of inflammatory cytokine in lung tissue.

Animals ; Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid ; chemistry ; Decompression Sickness ; Diving ; Lung ; pathology ; Oxygen ; physiology ; Pressure ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo observe the pathological changes in rabbits with spinal cord injury induced by decompression sickness (DCS), and to investigate the role of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) in spinal cord injury induced by DCS.

METHODSRabbits were randomly divided into normal control group, DCS group, and safe decompression group. The rabbit model of DCS was established. Light microscopy, real-time PCR, and immunohistochemical method were used to observe the pathomorphological changes in the thoracolumbar spinal cord and the mRNA and protein expression of TNF-α, respectively. The terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) was used to observe the apoptosis in the spinal cord.

RESULTSIn the DCS group, cavities formed in the white matter of spinal cord and gliosis occurred around necrotic areas. Moreover, the mRNA and protein expression of TNF-α was significantly higher in the DCS group than in the normal control group and the safe decompression group (P<0.01). The results of TUNEL showed that the number of positive apoptotic cells was significantly larger in the DCS group than in the normal control group and the safe decompression group (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONApoptosis plays an important role in spinal cord injury induced by DCS. In the early stage of DCS, the massive release of TNF-α initiates apoptosis and contributes to the pathological changes in spinal cord injury induced by DCS.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; Decompression Sickness ; metabolism ; pathology ; Disease Models, Animal ; In Situ Nick-End Labeling ; RNA, Messenger ; Rabbits ; Spinal Cord ; pathology ; Spinal Cord Injuries ; metabolism ; pathology ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; metabolism