Barotrauma is defined as physical damage to the body from the mechanical effects of pressure.
Can occur due to overpressurization (during ascent) or more commonly underpressurization (during des...
Head, eyes, ears, nose, and throat (HEENT) exam with particular attention paid to the TM to determine if rupture has occurred
Pulmonary exam looking for signs of subcutaneou...
Hospital admission criterion: PBT, arterial gas embolism, unstable patients
Emergency department (ED) treatment:
Establish intravenous (IV) access for unstable patients.
Intubation in patients ...
Good prognosis, with most cases being self-limited
No diving until TM has healed and other symptoms have resolved.
Predive medical clearance is recommended for anyone with prior PBT or deco...
Bove A. Diving medicine. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2014;189(12):1479–1486.
Divers Alert Network: http://www.diversalertnetwork.org
Lee YI, Ye BJ. Underwater and hyperbaric medi...
Barotrauma is the most common form of diving-related injury; most common is middle ear barotrauma.
Most serious complication of barotrauma is arterial gas embolism.
Divers with lung dise...
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