Noncardiogenic pulmonary edema caused by decompression sickness: rapid resolution following hyperbaric therapy.
Noncardiogenic pulmonary edema is a recognized but uncommon manifestation of type 2 decompression sickness. It typically occurs within 6 hours of a dive. Because the adult respiratory distress syndrome in this setting is believed to be due to microbubbles in the pulmonary vasculature, recompression in a hyperbaric chamber has been recommended as a form of therapy. A patient developed noncardiogenic pulmonary edema following a seawater dive to 75 feet. There was complete radiologic and clinical resolution within 5 hours of hyperbaric therapy.
D000328:Adult; D003665:Decompression Sickness / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006931:Hyperbaric Oxygenation; D011859:Radiography; D012128:Respiratory Distress Syndrome / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*