title: Acute ischemic colitis secondary to air embolism after diving.
abstract: Ischemic colitis (IC) secondary to air embolism from decompression sickness or barotrauma during diving is an extremely rare condition. After extensive review of the available literature, we found that there has been only one reported case of IC secondary to air embolism from diving. Although air embolization from diving and the various medical complications that follow have been well documented, the clinical manifestation of IC from an air embolism during diving is very rare and thus far unstudied. Common symptoms of IC include abdominal pain, bloody or non-bloody diarrhea or nausea or vomiting or any combination. Emergency physicians and Critical Care specialists should consider IC as a potential diagnosis for a patient with the above-mentioned symptoms and a history of recent diving. We report a case of IC from air embolism after a routine dive to 75 feet below sea level in a 53-year-old White female who presented to a community Emergency Department complaining of a 2-day history of diffuse abdominal pain and nausea. She was diagnosed by colonoscopy with biopsies and treated conservatively with antibiotics, bowel rest, and a slow advancement in diet.
authors.affiliation: Largo Medical Center, Department of General Surgery, Largo Medical Center General Surgery Residency Program, Largo Medical Center- Indian Rocks Campus, 2025 Indian Rocks Road, Largo, FL 33774, USA.
authors.forename: Austin Daniel
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Payor
authors.forename: Veronica
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Tucci
references.citation: Radiology. 1999 May;211(2):381-8
references.pmid: 10228517
references.citation: Langenbecks Arch Surg. 1999 Jun;384(3):233-8
references.pmid: 10437610
references.citation: N Engl J Med. 1996 Jun 20;334(25):1642-8
references.pmid: 8628361
references.citation: World J Gastroenterol. 2008 Dec 28;14(48):7302-8
references.pmid: 19109863
references.citation: Radiology. 1988 Jan;166(1 Pt 1):149-52
references.pmid: 3336673
references.citation: Acta Chir Scand. 1987;153(5-6):321-4
references.pmid: 3310486
references.citation: QJM. 2004 Jul;97(7):385-95
references.pmid: 15208426
references.citation: Dig Dis Sci. 1984 Jan;29(1):91-5
references.pmid: 6692739
references.citation: Isr J Med Sci. 1993 Jan;29(1):22-6
references.pmid: 8454441
references.citation: Cleve Clin J Med. 2009 Jul;76(7):401-9
references.pmid: 19570972
references.citation: Dig Dis Sci. 2009 Sep;54(9):2009-15
references.pmid: 19089615
references.citation: N Engl J Med. 1994 Jan 6;330(1):19-24
references.pmid: 8259140
references.citation: Am J Gastroenterol. 2000 Dec;95(12):3677-8
references.pmid: 11151937
references.citation: Resuscitation. 2003 Nov;59(2):171-80
references.pmid: 14625107
references.citation: Br J Sports Med. 1998 Mar;32(1):75-6
references.pmid: 9562172
references.citation: Am J Gastroenterol. 2003 Sep;98(9):2018-22
references.pmid: 14499781
references.citation: J Trauma. 1982 Mar;22(3):238-40
references.pmid: 7069809
references.citation: World J Gastroenterol. 2008 May 28;14(20):3262-5
references.pmid: 18506937
references.citation: BMJ. 1998 Oct 24;317(7166):1140-3
references.pmid: 9784458
references.citation: Arch Neurol. 1979 Aug;36(8):504-5
references.pmid: 508163
references.citation: Undersea Biomed Res. 1975 Sep;2(3):155-60
references.pmid: 15622734