Aviat Space Envir Md
-
Aviat Space Envir Md · Apr 2007
Case ReportsPneumopericardium and pneumomediastinum in a passenger on a commercial flight.
Pneumopericardium and pneumomediastinum are rare presentations seen most commonly in the context of chest trauma or mechanical ventilation. Here we present a case of a spontaneous pneumopericardium and pneumomediastinum, which occurred in a young man with a recent coryzal illness and multiple Valsalva maneuvers in flight. Although the etiology of pneumopericardium and pneumomediastinum are well described in the literature, possible acute risks to flight personnel have not been previously documented.
-
Induction of cataracts by occupational exposure in flight crew has been an important topic of interest in aerospace medicine over the past 5 yr, in association with numerous reports of flight-associated disease incidences. Due to numerous confounding variables, it has been difficult to determine whether there is increased cataract risk directly caused by interaction with the flight environment, specifically associated with added radiation exposure during flight. Military aviator records from the U. ⋯ S. Navy aviators' cataracts were most commonly located in the posterior subcapsular region of the lens while astronauts' cataracts were most likely to originate in the cortical zone. A prospective clinical trial which controls for confounding variables in examination technique, cataract classification, diet, exposure, and pharmacological intervention is needed to determine what percentage of the risk for cataracts is due to radiation, and how to best develop countermeasures to protect flight crews from radiation bioeffects in the future.