Abstract

Dysbarism is defined as any medical condition that arises as a result of changes in ambient pressure. This review describes dysbarism with a focus on the undersea environment. Conditions discussed in this review include middle and inner ear barotrauma, pulmonary barotrauma, immersion pulmonary edema, decompression illness, and gas toxicities. For each, assessment and stabilization, treatment and disposition, and outcomes are presented. Figures show the AQUARIUS habitat for saturation diving; the anatomy of the external, middle, and inner ear; the Teed classification; the paranasal sinuses; and an example of a recompression chamber. Tables list the types of diving, gas laws relevant to diving, units of underwater pressure, compositions of typical breathing gas mixtures, decompression illness risk factors, symptoms of decompression illness (in order of frequency), signs and symptoms of decompression illness based on body system, maximum recommended depth to reduce the risk of central nervous system oxygen toxicity for various breathing gas mixtures, and progression of nitrogen narcosis symptoms with increasing depth. This review contains 5 highly rendered figures, 9 tables, and 120 references.

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