|
Page: Arterial Gas Embolism
Main article
| Home > Sports Medicine > Arterial Gas Embolism |
Arterial gas embolism (AGE) is usually the result of some injury to the lungs causing air bubbles to "leak" into the bloodstream.
Mechanism of injury
If a diver ascends without exhaling, the gas in the lungs will expand due to the reduced pressure surrounding the lungs and may rupture lung tissue. This is pulmonary barotrauma which releases gas bubbles into the arterial circulation. This will cause the bubbles to be circulated through the body via the bloodstream. If the bubbles reach the brain and damage it, this is a particularly serious type of arterial gas embolism termed CAGE (Cerebral Arterial Gas Embolism). The symptoms of CAGE are those of stroke.
A person suffering from AGE may surface unconscious. This does not mean that any person who is conscious on surfacing is excluded from the possibility of AGE.
Symptoms
* Dizziness
* Blurring of Vision
* Areas of decreased sensation
* Chest pain
* Disorientation
Signs
* Bloody froth from mouth or nose
* Paralysis or weakness
* Convulsions
* Unconsciousness
* No breathing
* Death
|
Important notice:
The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other
qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
|