Sudden death of non-cardiological origin during exercise. The dysbarism model

Desola, Jordi

doi:10.1016/j.medcle.2017.02.024

Cited by 1 publication

(1 citation statement)

References 15 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Self-contained underwater breathing apparatus (SCUBA) diving is one of the most popular and practised underwater activities [ 1 , 2 ], and although it is overall a safe activity [ 3 , 4 ], diving accidents can be potentially serious and even fatal [ 1 , 5 ]. Decompression illness (DCI) is caused by intravascular or extravascular bubbles that are formed as a result of a reduction in environmental pressure [ 6 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pulmonary barotrauma in SCUBA diving-related fatalities: a histological and histomorphometric analysis

Casadesús

Nieto‐Moragas

Serrando

et al. 2023

Forensic Sci Med Pathol

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Arterial gas embolism following pulmonary barotrauma occurs in 13–24% of cases of diving deaths. The study aimed to evaluate the usefulness of a histomorphometric digital analysis in the detection of air space over-distension due to pulmonary barotrauma. The study was performed on lung parenchyma specimens of 12 divers: six had died due to arterial gas embolism following pulmonary barotrauma (mean age at death of 54 years, range of 41–61 years), and six had drowned in saltwater without a diagnosis of pulmonary barotrauma (mean age at death of 54 years, range of 41–66 years) (positive controls). For negative controls, six cases of non-SCUBA divers (mean age of death of 42 years, range of 23–55 years) who died of intracerebral haemorrhage were evaluated. No significant differences were observed in the characteristics of the air spaces between control groups (positive and negative). However, differences were observed in the area occupied by air spaces and the percentage of air space area when we compared the case group to the controls (p < 0.01); and there was a slight difference in the maximum and minimum diameters of air space (p < 0.05). The mean area occupied by air spaces and the mean percentage of air space were the most useful for discriminating pulmonary barotrauma from other causes of death (100% sensitivity and 91.7% specificity). Based on our study, inclusion of an increased pattern of air spaces as a possible diagnostic criterion for pulmonary barotrauma would be useful in discerning the cause of diving death.

show abstract