- Dysbarism is a collective term for all illnesses resulting from changes in ambient pressure that occur at a rate exceeding the capacity of the person to adapt safely. Conditions such as decompression sickness (the bends), arterial gas embolism (AGE), and barotrauma may result.
- Decompression illness is a term that refers to both decompression sickness and AGE.
- Diagnosis of dysbarism can usually be made on history and examination alone.
- Gas coming out of solution and forming bubbles is the prime cause of decompression sickness, whereas gas contraction and expansion causes barotrauma.
- Any body tissue can be affected, resulting in a wide variety of clinical presentations. Any new symptom with a close temporal relation to diving should be presumed due to dysbarism until shown to be otherwise.
- The unpredictability of ultimate outcome at the onset of any decompression illness requires each case to be managed as a medical emergency.
- Recompression is the mainstay of treatment for decompression illness. Early administration improves outcome.
- Oxygen administration plays a key role in all cases of decompression illness, both as emergency treatment and during recompression.
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Actualizado por última vez: oct 23, 2012