A :
B :
C :
D :
E :
F :
G :
H :
I :
J :
K :
L :
M :
N :
O :
P :
Q :
R :
S :
T :
U :
V :
W :
X :
Y :
Z
Bends
Medical Questions » Bends
| Name: Bends |
| Also known as: Arterial Gas Embolism; Caisson Disease |
| Development of nitrogen gas bubbles in the blood due to sudden ascent from a deep dive. |
Causes of Bends
In breathing, oxygen and nitrogen are taken into the lungs, and pass across a fine membrane to be dissolved into the blood. If the air pressure is high, more gases will be dissolved into the blood. Divers must breathe air at a pressure equivalent to the depth of water in which they are diving. When divers surface, they must do so slowly, or the lower pressure in shallow water or ashore will allow the dissolved gases to come out of solution and form tiny bubbles in the blood. The same phenomenon can be seen when the top is removed from a bottle of carbonated soft drink and it starts to fizz. |
Symptoms of Bends
May occur immediately or up to 6 hours later and depend on the fitness, age, and weight of the diver, and the amount of physical exertion undertaken. Joint pain, weakness, shortness of breath, dizziness, visual disturbances, pins and needles sensation, rashes, inability to speak, headache and confusion are common. Pain may be excruciating and if left untreated may progress to coma and death. The ' bends' name derives from the posture adopted in an attempt to relieve the pain. |
Tests for Bends
None. |
Treatment for Bends
If possible, dive again to the appropriate depth, and resurface slowly, while being supervised. If impractical, give aspirin and oxygen and transport patient to a decompression chamber. The patient is depressurization in the chamber, and then over several hours or days the pressure is slowly reduced back to normal again.
|
Complications of Bends of its treatment
Permanent joint damage from gas bubbles in joint fluid. |
Likely Outcome of Bends
Extremely variable, as it depends on the depth of the dive, the length of the dive, the individual diver' s characteristics, and the delay before re compression commences. Death is common without treatment. |
|
|
