title: Acute kidney injury due to decompression illness.
abstract: Decompression illness is a rare but serious complication of diving caused by intravascular or extravascular gas bubble formation. We report the first case of acute kidney injury in a 27-year-old diver following three rapid ascents. He presented with transient neurological symptoms and abdominal pain followed by rapidly progressive acute kidney injury (creatinine peak 1210 µmol/L) due to arterial air emboli. He received supportive care and 100% oxygen followed by hyperbaric therapy and recovered fully. Arterial air emboli caused by rapid decompression can affect multiple organs including the kidneys. Early transfer to a hyperbaric unit is important as complications may present delayed.
authors: Department of Nephrology , Fremantle Hospital , Perth, WA , Australia.
authors: Andrea
authors: A
authors: Viecelli
authors: Department of Nephrology , Fremantle Hospital , Perth, WA , Australia ; School of Medicine and Pharmacology , University of Western Australia , Perth, WA , Australia.
authors: Jagadish
authors: J
authors: Jamboti
authors: Department of Diving and Hyperbaric Medicine , Fremantle Hospital , Perth, WA , Australia.
authors: Andrew
authors: A
authors: Waring
authors: Department of Diving and Hyperbaric Medicine , Fremantle Hospital , Perth, WA , Australia.
authors: Neil
authors: N
authors: Banham
authors: Department of Nephrology , Fremantle Hospital , Perth, WA , Australia ; School of Medicine and Pharmacology , University of Western Australia , Perth, WA , Australia.
authors: Paolo
authors: P
authors: Ferrari
keywords: acute kidney injury; arterial air embolism; decompression illness; pulmonary barotrauma