What Researchers Did
Researchers described the case of a 50-year-old man who developed severe lung blood clots after experiencing decompression sickness from a scuba dive.
What They Found
The patient developed acute pulmonary hypertension and decompression sickness 24 hours after a scuba dive. By day 6 of hospitalization, he had bilateral pulmonary embolism, meaning blood clots in both lungs. The study suggests that tiny bubbles formed during decompression sickness might lead to these life-threatening massive blood clots.
Canadian Relevance
This study covers decompression sickness, a Health Canada-recognised indication for hyperbaric oxygen therapy. No direct Canadian connection for the study authors or location was identified.
Study Limitations
As a case report, this study describes the experience of only one patient, meaning its findings may not be generalizable to all individuals with decompression sickness.