

So, a descent from the surface to 10 metres (33 feet) underwater results in a doubling of the pressure on the diver. A descent of 10 metres (33 feet) in water increases the ambient pressure by an amount approximately equal to the pressure of the atmosphere at sea level. There are two components to the surrounding pressure acting on the diver: the atmospheric pressure and the water pressure. When diving, the pressure differences which cause the barotrauma are changes in hydrostatic pressure: Several commonly recognised examples are listed below. ( July 2022)Īny cause of sufficiently large and rapid environmental pressure change can potentially cause barotrauma. This section needs expansion with: Symptoms of each type.
Barotrauma memes skin#
Skin (when wearing a diving suit which creates an air space).Eyes (the under-pressure air space is inside the diving mask ).Paranasal sinuses (causing aerosinusitis).Middle ear and inner ear (barotitis or aerotitis).


Decompression illness is a term which includes decompression sickness and arterial gas embolism caused by lung overexpansion barotrauma. Decompression sickness is indirectly caused by ambient pressure reduction, and the tissue damage is caused directly and indirectly by gas bubbles, but these bubbles form out of supersaturated solution from dissolved gases, and are not generally considered barotrauma. Tissue rupture may be complicated by the introduction of gas into the local tissue or circulation through the initial trauma site, which can cause blockage of circulation at distant sites or interfere with normal function of an organ by its presence.īarotrauma generally manifests as sinus or middle ear effects, lung overpressure injuries and injuries resulting from external squeezes. The initial damage is usually due to over-stretching the tissues in tension or shear, either directly by expansion of the gas in the closed space or by pressure difference hydrostatically transmitted through the tissue. Pressure difference between the environment and a gas filled space in or in contact with the affected tissuesīarotrauma is physical damage to body tissues caused by a difference in pressure between a gas space inside, or in contact with, the body, and the surrounding gas or fluid. Eye and surrounding skin showing petechial and subconjunctival haemmorhagesĪrterial gas embolism, pneumothorax, mediastinal emphysema Mild barotrauma to a diver caused by mask squeeze. Squeeze, decompression illness, lung overpressure injury, volutrauma
