DELAYED RECOMPRESSION AFTER SCUBA DIVING-INDUCED BAROTRAUMA - A CASE-REPORT

During a SCUBA course, a woman (26 yr) ascended from shallow water (le ss than or equal to 8 m) in panic on 2 successive days. She suffered m oderate symptoms of gas embolism (pain in the upper chest and in both knees), very likely owing to a pulmonary barotrauma. The woman remaine d untreated for 3 d until her return flight during which symptoms wors ened. After another 24 d, she entered the hyperbaric center in Duisbur g, Germany, where she was successfully treated by recompression with h yperbaric oxygenation (to 0.6 MPa on day 1, and to 0.28 MPa on days 2 and 3).