A Review of Pulmonary Barotrauma in Scuba Diving Accidents

Abstract

The increasing popularity of scuba diving as a sport necessitates that emergency personnel become familiar with medical diving problems. It is important to understand that pulmonary barotrauma can be sustained with an uncontrolled ascent of little more than 1 meter. This can occur under any circumstance in which compressed air is breathed under water. The most common is scuba diving or submarine escape training, but it may also be encountered when a person escapes from a submerged car or a child surfaces after breathing from an inverted bucket in a swimming pool. Two cases of pulmonary barotrauma are reported and the spectrum of presentation of this condition is discussed. Knowledge of this condition increases clinical awareness resulting in early diagnosis and effective treatment. It will be shown that it is better to over treat this condition, as the side effects of treatment are minimal and the results of failure to treat can be disastrous.