| Although it is estimated that > 1 billion passengers travel by air worldwide each year, the incidence of in-flight emergencies is low. However, due to nonstandardized reporting requirements for in-flight medical emergencies, the true incidence of pulmonary barotrauma in airplane passengers is unknown. We describe the case of a passenger with an asymptomatic intrapulmonary cyst in whom a severe case of cerebral gas embolism developed during an aircraft flight. The decrease in ambient pressure during the aircraft climb resulted in expansion of the cyst volume based on Boyle's law (pressure x volume = constant). Due to the cyst expansion, we believe tears in the wall led to the leakage of air into the surrounding vessels followed by brain gas emboli. adult patients with intrapulmonary cysts should be strongly considered for cyst resection or should at least be advised to abstain from activities leading to considerable changes in ambient pressure. ( info) |
| A 25-year-old man presented to the emergency department with an acute onset of frontal sinus pain during descent on a commercial airliner. There was no history of recent upper respiratory infection, sinus infection, or chronic allergic rhinitis. Sinus radiographs demonstrated a left frontal sinus submucosal hematoma. Symptoms improved within 24 hours with systemic and topical decongestants/vasoconstrictors and a nonsteroidal antiinflammatory agent. He was asymptomatic at 1 week postinjury. ( info) |
53/160. tinnitus in an active duty navy diver: A review of inner ear barotrauma, tinnitus, and its treatment. This case elucidates subtle cues that must be appreciated by the examiner in diving related injuries, who may not have experience with barotrauma-mediated pathology. Inner-ear barotrauma (IEBT) does not mandate ostensible hearing loss or vertigo; tinnitus may be the sole manifestation. Symptoms may present hours or even days post-dive. A common misconception exists that there are no efficacious treatment options for IEBT short of surgery for an overt perilymphatic fistula. Treatment options are available including acute high dose steroid administration, as prescribed for acute noise-induced or idiopathic hearing loss, optimally administered within three weeks of the acute insult. tinnitus does not necessarily constitute a chronic untreatable symptom, which the patient must learn "to live with". ( info) |
| We report the case of a diver who presented with air in the sella turcica after barotrauma to the sphenoid sinus during an ascent from a dive. To our knowledge, this is the first report of intracranial air after a barotrauma to the sphenoid sinus. ( info) |
| Since its introduction in 1985 by Ciaglia et al, percutaneous dilational tracheostomy (PDT) has gradually become the procedure of choice in establishing a long-term airway in many intensive care units (ICU). However, the safety of performing PDT in patients with barotrauma is still unknown and has never been reported. We present the case of a 35-year-old man with AIDS, who was admitted to our medical ICU for pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome. He developed subcutaneous emphysema and pneumomediastinum as complications of mechanical ventilation. After stabilization of the barotrauma, he underwent PDT with the standard Ciaglia Blue Rhino technique. However, rapid and extensive progression of preexisting barotraumas occurred shortly after PDT. This severe complication was nearly fatal. The prolonged procedure during which the susceptible lung was exposed to longer duration of high airway pressure was thought to be the mechanism of rapid deterioration of the preexisting barotrauma. With aggressive supportive care, the patient survived. To prevent further deterioration of preexisting barotraumas during and after PDT in future cases, we propose some principles that should be strictly followed. Under administration of these principles, we safely performed PDT in another case with preexisting barotrauma 1 month later. ( info) |
| Air embolism may occur following criminal abortion, vaginal douching, powder insufflation as treatment for vaginal infections, and orogenital sex. The patient reported in this work deteriorated following pulmonary barotrauma. diagnosis was made 16 h after the appearance of neurological signs. She was transferred immediately to the hyperbaric unit. The speed and completeness of recovery are directly related to the prompt diagnosis and commencement of therapy. Failure is more likely related to delay. ( info) |
57/160. Hazard warning. A case of postoperative pulmonary barotrauma. A case is described in which extensive pulmonary barotrauma occurred due to the application of a face mask to an indwelling cuffed endotracheal tube. The design of the mask is such that a seal was made between the mask and the tube. The design of mask is widely used in theatre recovery areas and clinicians are alerted to this potential hazard. ( info) |
58/160. lightning injury with lung bleeding in a tracheotomized patient. A 68-year-old man, who had undergone laryngectomy six months earlier, was struck by lightning and developed pulmonary hemorrhage. This was attributed to pulmonary barotrauma due to a lightning blast via his tracheostoma. ( info) |
59/160. diving-related inner ear injuries. diving-related inner ear barotrauma (IEB) and inner ear decompression sickness (IEDS) most often result in permanent severe cochleovestibular deficits, unless immediate diagnosis is reached and the correct treatment is commenced early. Nine cases of sport-diving-induced inner ear injuries that were referred to the Israeli Naval Hyperbaric Institute between October 1987 and September 1989 are presented with regard to evaluation, treatment, and follow-up. The diagnosis was IEB in five divers and IEDS in four. Explorative tympanotomy was carried out with remarkable results in two patients with IEB, while the remaining three were relieved by bed rest alone. Three of the four IEDS patients were recompressed according to the extended US Navy Table 6 with good short-term results. The role of complete otoneurological evaluation in the decision-making process leading to the correct diagnosis and treatment is emphasized. ( info) |
| A case of neurapraxia of the infraorbital nerve occurring as a result of maxillary sinus barotrauma in a diver is presented. Existing reports of a similar nature are reviewed and the pathogenesis of cranial nerve involvement in barotrauma is discussed. Guidelines for treatment are suggested. ( info) |