Barotrauma, A Simple Guide To The Condition, Diagnosis, Treatment And Related Conditions

This book describes Barotrauma, Diagnosis and Treatment and Related DiseasesI first wrote a book in 2014 on work related Compressed Air Illness and Barotrauma that can occur in workers exposed to compressed air environment. Barotrauma indicates injuries produced by raised air or water pressure, such as during airplane flights or scuba diving. Barotrauma can affect air filled spaces in the body such as the sinuses, ears and lungs.
The most common cause is diving, air travel and tunneling works. Barotrauma is divided into :1. Sinus barotrauma with acute pain over the sinus area or nasal or postnasal bleeding2. Middle ear Barotrauma with pain in the ear, bleeding from the ear, burst eardrum, together with hypoacusis, tinnitus, vertigo and hearing loss3. Inner ear Barotrauma with severe vertigo and hearing loss of affected side4.
Pulmonary Barotrauma with chest pain, breathlessness, unconsciousness, subcutaneous emphysema. Risk factors for barotrauma:1.medical unfitness - workers with pre-existing medical conditions, chronic illness of the ears, poor air passages of the lungs are at higher risk2.sudden changes of pressures -pressures of more tha 1 bar cause higher risk3.long working hours in compressed air >4 hours4.failure to follow proper decompression procedure5.smoking6.coughing7.breath holding8.infections affecting the ear or upper respiratory tractAny part of the body that contains air can be responsive to these pressures:1.
Ear (most common)-affecting structures in the middle ear2. Sinus-air-filled facial sinuses surround the bones in the skull3. Pulmonary (most critical)-lungsGeneralized barotraumas (also termed decompression sickness) involves the whole body. Activities that can expose someone to significant pressure changes are:1. Airplane travel2. Scuba diving, particularly:a. Ascending without exhaling freelyb. Swimming quickly to the surface when divingc.
Holding the breath when ascendingd. Underwater diving for an increased period of timee. Repeated dives within 24 hoursf. Flying in an airplane after divingg. Having air pockets in equipment (such as masks and dry suits)3. Mechanical ventilation - use of a machine to move air into and out of the lungs (associated with pulmonary trauma)4. Exposure to shock waves from an explosionBlockages and congestion in these tubes increase the risk of ear barotrauma because the inside pressure is not allowed to change to match the outside pressure.
These tubes may be blocked or limited by:1. Congestion from allergies or colds2. Middle ear infections-more common in younger children3. Defects of eustachian tube (small tube that runs from the middle ear to the back of the nose and upper throat and helps stabilize internal and external pressures)4. Damaged or blockage of eustachian tube-resulting from scarring or a tumor5. Cleft palate or lipComputed tomography (CT) scans and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may be indicated when there is severe headache or severe back pain after diving or air travel.
Pulmonary barotrauma is serious and requires immediate medical attention. The treatment will be dependent on the specific lung disorder that is present. The primary medicines for lung barotrauma are oxygen, nitrogen oxide, isotonic fluids, anti-inflammatory medicines, decongestants, and analgesics. To relieve the pressure in the eustachian tube, the patient can:a. Suck candyb. Chew gumc. YawnMedicines to relieve ear and sinus pressure are:a.
Decongestant nasal spraysb. Oral decongestantsc. Oral antihistaminesSurgery (incision eardrum) may be essential to relieve the pressure if the eustachian tube does not open with treatment.. TABLE OF CONTENT...