Lung Expansion Injury. Causes of Lung Overexpansion Injuries If the airflow inside your lungs becomes restricted as you ascend the expanding air can rupture the delicate alveoli inside your lungs This happens without any warning or sensation and can occur in as little as 4 feet of water.
Obstructive And Restrictive Lung Disease Chapter 2 Essential Clinical Anesthesia Review from Cambridge University Press
A Lungexpansion injuries can be the most dramatic and lifethreatening emergencies in scuba diving They are generally a result of lung overinflation due to pathological air trapping (lung disease) or breathholding during ascent A good understanding of lung anatomy is essential to comprehend the associated risks.
Lung Expansion Injuries Divers Alert Network
Lung Overexpansion Pressure Injuries While you are skin diving your lungs do not usually experience any harmful effects from decreasing pressure changes when you are holding your breath.
Lung Overexpansion Injury Symptoms Private Scuba
The most serious lung expansion injury is arterial gas embolism (AGE) which involves bubbles being forced into the bloodstream through the lungs It is potentially fatal.
Lung overexpansion injury falls under the category of Decompression Illness in diving medical terms Lung overexpansion injury can also occur in pilots on assisted breathing and patients on a ventilator or respirator Summary Lung overexpansion injury occurs when a SCUBA diver holds their breath when ascending underwater This can be as little as a 15 meter ascent near the surface.
