Decompression illness caused by breath-hold dives.

Accession number;01A1025824
Title;Decompression illness caused by breath-hold dives.
Author;KOUSHI KIYOTAKA(Sangyoidai Noshinkeigeka/kokiatsuchiryobu)   TAMAKI HIDEKI(Tamakibyoin Geka)   OKUDERA TOSHIO(Akitakennokekkankense Hoshasenka)   KATO TAKAHIKO(Miyazakiidai Koshueiseigaku)   WONG R M(Dep. Diving & Hyperbaric Medicine)   MANO YOSHIHIRO(Tokyoishidai Daigakuin Kenkokyoikugaku)   
Journal Title;Japanese Journal of Hyperbaric Medicine
Journal Code:Y0855A
ISSN:0388-5577
VOL.36;NO.2;PAGE.45-52(2001)
Figure&Table&Reference;FIG.3, TBL.1, REF.42
Pub. Country;Japan
Language;Japanese
Abstract;Decompression illness(DCI) may theoretically be possible which is following after breath-hold dives because the nitrogen gas is accumulated in blood and tissues. Since the 1960s, when Cross reported Taravana diving syndrome in Polynesian pearl divers, the occurrence of diving accidents has been widely debated. However, such incidents have not been reported for more than 3 decades. Recently, we have encountered 2 Japanese professional breath-hold (ama) divers with a history of diving accidents. Our interview survey showed in their island that many ama divers had previously experienced transient stroke-like neurological accidents, in which the most common symptoms were unilateral motor weakness and sensory abnormalities. In addition, we have treated another 2 ama divers who suffered visual disturbance or motor weakness in one side during deep repetitive breath-hold dives. Brain magnetic resonance imagings of above 4 ama divers showed multiple cerebral infarction in the terminal and border zones of the brain arteries. Although the pathogenesis of the brain lesions is not well understood, we propose that arterialized bubbles passing through the lungs or heart involved the brain. In breath-hold divers, DCI involved the brain looks like clinical signs as arterial gas embolism following pulmonary barotrauma. From the mechanisms of bubble formation, however, this disorder has been classified as decompression sickness. We propose that there is a difference between clinical and mechanical diagnoses in a criteria of brain DC. (author abst.)