Barotrauma
- PMID: 29493973
- Bookshelf ID: NBK482348
Barotrauma
Excerpt
Barotrauma is physical tissue damage caused by an unrelieved pressure differential between a surrounding gas or fluid and an unvented body cavity (e.g., sinuses, lungs), or across a tissue plane. The damage is due to compressive/ expansive forces and shear, leading to overstretching of tissues. Barotrauma most usually causes sinus injury or middle-ear injury, but may also cause facial injury, tooth injury, gastrointestinal (GI) rupture, pneumothorax, pulmonary hemorrhage, mediastinal and subcutaneous emphysema. Tears in pulmonary tissue can allow gas to enter the circulation. This causes embolic blockage of the circulation at distant sites or interferes with normal organ function.
Copyright © 2025, StatPearls Publishing LLC.
Conflict of interest statement
Sections
References
-
- Lo Casto A, Purpura P, Tudisca C, La Tona G, Salerno S. Barotraumatic blowout fracture of the orbit after sneezing: Cone beam CT demonstration. Clin Ter. 2018 Nov-Dec;169(6):e265-e268. - PubMed
-
- Geyer L, Brockmeier K, Graf C, Kretzschmar B, Schmitz KH, Webering F, Hoffmann U. Bubble Formation in Children and Adolescents after Two Standardised Shallow Dives. Int J Sports Med. 2019 Jan;40(1):31-37. - PubMed
-
- Muller A, Rochoy M. [Diving and asthma: Literature review]. Rev Pneumol Clin. 2018 Dec;74(6):416-426. - PubMed
-
- Aşık MB, Binar M. Retrospective analyses of high-energy explosive devicerelated injuries of the ear and auricular region: experiences in an operative field hospital emergency room. Ulus Travma Acil Cerrahi Derg. 2018 Sep;24(5):450-455. - PubMed
-
- Hlavaty L, Kasper W, Sung L. Suicide by Detonation of Intraoral Firecracker: Case Report and Review of the Literature. Am J Forensic Med Pathol. 2019 Mar;40(1):49-51. - PubMed
Publication types
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources