Decompression Sickness Differential Diagnoses

  • Author: Stephen A Pulley; Chief Editor: Joe Alcock, MD, MS   more...
 
Updated: Apr 16, 2012
 
 

Differential Diagnoses

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Contributor Information and Disclosures
Author

Stephen A Pulley  MS, DO, FACOEP, Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine; Attending Faculty, Emergency Medicine Residency, Albert Einstein Healthcare Network; Attending Physician, Montgomery Hospital Medical Center

Stephen A Pulley is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Emergency Physicians, American College of Osteopathic Emergency Physicians, and American Osteopathic Association

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Specialty Editor Board

Eric M Kardon, MD, FACEP  Attending Emergency Physician, Georgia Emergency Medicine Specialists; Physician, Division of Emergency Medicine, Athens Regional Medical Center

Eric M Kardon, MD, FACEP is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Emergency Physicians

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD  Adjunct Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy; Editor-in-Chief, Medscape Drug Reference

Disclosure: Medscape Salary Employment

James Steven Walker, DO, MS  Clinical Professor of Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Oklahoma College of Medicine

James Steven Walker, DO, MS is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Emergency Medicine, American College of Emergency Physicians, American College of Osteopathic Emergency Physicians, and American Osteopathic Association

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

John D Halamka, MD, MS  Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center; Chief Information Officer, CareGroup Healthcare System and Harvard Medical School; Attending Physician, Division of Emergency Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

John D Halamka, MD, MS is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Emergency Physicians, American Medical Informatics Association, Phi Beta Kappa, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Joe Alcock, MD, MS  Associate Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center; Chief, Emergency Medicine Service, New Mexico Veterans Affairs Health Care System

Joe Alcock, MD, MS is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

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Illustration of Dalton gas law. As an individual descends, the total pressure of breathing air increases and the partial pressures of the individual components have to increase proportionally. Nitrogen at higher partial pressures alters the electrical properties of cerebral cellular membranes, causing an anesthetic effect. Oxygen at higher partial pressures can cause CNS oxygen toxicity.
Illustration of Henry gas law. If nitrogen is added to a bottle, it diffuses into and equilibrates with the fluid. If pressure is suddenly released (decreased), such as when an individual ascends rapidly, a lag occurs before nitrogen can diffuse back to the nonfluid space. This delay causes nitrogen to bubble while still in the fluid.
 
 
 
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