OBJECTIVE Scuba diving, characterized by hyperoxia and hyperbaria, could increase reactive oxygen species production which acts as signaling molecules to induce adaptation against oxidative stress. The aim was to study the effects of scuba diving immersion on neutrophil inflammatory response, the induction of oxidative damage, and the NO synthesis. DESIGN Nine male divers performed a dive at ...

During scuba diving, the circulatory system is stressed by an elevated partial pressure of oxygen while the diver is submerged and by decompression-induced gas bubbles on ascent to the surface. This diving-induced stress may trigger decompression illness, but the majority of dives are asymptomatic. In this study we have mapped divers' blood transcriptomes with the aim of identifying genes, biol...

A pneumomediastinum is a condition in which air is present in the mediastinum. It can result from a pulmonary barotrauma which occurs during sCUBA (self contained underwater breathing apparatus) diving. We report on a fifteen-year-old patient who suffered from a pulmonary barotrauma including a pneumomediastinum after sCUBA diving. The patient was admitted to the PICU (Paediatric Intensive Care...

BACKGROUND Diving is a popular sport, and some recreational divers have medical risk factors. Their health can be endangered by high extracorporeal (ambient) pressure and its many systemic effects. METHODS We review relevant publications on free (breath-hold) diving, scuba diving, medical evaluation for diving, barotrauma, decompression sickness, and diving with medical risk factors, which we...

INTRODUCTION An individual case review of diving-related deaths reported as occurring in Australia in 2006 was conducted as part of the Divers Alert Network Asia-Pacific (DAN AP) dive fatality reporting project. METHOD The case studies were compiled using reports from witnesses, the police and coroners. In each case, the particular circumstances of the accident and details from the post-morte...

The aim was to determine predictors for the development of complaints of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) in a large sample of Dutch scuba divers who were free of any TMD complaints before they started diving actively. Five-hundred and thirty-six scuba divers (mean ± SD age = 40.4 ± 11.9 years; 34.1% women) completed a specifically developed questionnaire, either online or on paper. Stepwise f...

Scuba diving allows for underwater visitation of cultural and natural resources. Underwater routes can be used as a tool for guided and supervised underwater visits. Two scuba diving routes were implemented in the Algarve (South of Portugal), the “B24” and “Poço” diving sites. The perceptions of scuba divers regarding several aspects of the routes and the existing support infrastructures were s...

INTRODUCTION Scuba diving represents a combination of exercise and changes in environmental conditions. This study aimed to evaluate changes in haematological parameters after recreational scuba diving in order to identify clinically significant changes. MATERIALS AND METHODS The study included males, 17 recreational divers, median age (range) 41 (30-52) years. Blood samples were taken before...

Middle ear barotrauma is one of the common complications of SCUBA diving representing acute otalgia, hearing loss, and bleeding. But occurrence of facial palsy is rare. Here we report a case of a 30-year-old navy diver suffered middle ear barotrauma with transient facial palsy after SCUBA diving. He felt difficulty in equalizing the pressure in middle ear with Valsalva maneuver during diving, a...

The modern scuba diver has become a slave of the buoyancy compensator. Throughout scuba diving history the diver has had to cope with variations in buoyancy due to suit compression and air usage. During the past five years scores of buoyancy compensation units have appeared on the market. Frequently manufacturers and instructors indicate that the buoyancy compensator is extremely useful for aid...