Undersea Hyperbar M
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Undersea Hyperbar M · Jan 2002
Microdialysis in cisterna magna during cerebral air embolism in swine.
Arterial gas embolism may occur as a consequence of lung rupture, decompression sickness, following operative procedures or as accidental infusion of gas during various diagnostic procedures. It can lead to severe morbidity or even death. Microdialysis is a technique that has been extensively used for evaluating localized changes in the brain. ⋯ Flow in the carotid artery of the side of injection decreased significantly, but returned to baseline in 1 hour. Flow in the contralateral carotid was increased, but not significantly. We conclude that massive air embolism causes ischemia and reduced blood flow in the brain that can be detected in the cisterna magna.
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Undersea Hyperbar M · Jan 2002
Case ReportsDiver with acute abdominal pain, right leg paresthesias and weakness: a case report.
A 29-year-old man was brought to an emergency department by the United States Coast Guard with chief complaints of severe abdominal pain, right leg paresthesia and weakness following four deep air dives. Physical examination before recompression treatment was remarkable for diffuse abdominal tenderness and right leg weakness. The patient was diagnosed in the emergency room with type II decompression sickness (DCS) and underwent standard recompression therapy. ⋯ The patient underwent appendectomy and intravenous antibiotic therapy and was discharged to his home on hospital day five without complications. This case reinforces the importance of careful clinical assessment of divers and illustrates the potentially wide differential diagnosis of DCS. This is the first reported case of recompression treatment of a diver with acute appendicitis and type II DCS.