|
An air embolism, or more generally gas embolism, is a pathological condition caused by a gas bubble, or bubbles, in a vascular system although an ''embolism'' in a medical context refers to any large moving mass or defect in the blood stream. Air embolisms may also occur in the xylem of vascular plants, especially when suffering from water stress. ==Signs and symptoms== As a general rule, any diver who has breathed gas under pressure at any depth who surfaces unconscious, loses consciousness soon after surfacing, or displays neurological symptoms within about 10 minutes of surfacing should be assumed to be suffering from arterial gas embolism. Symptoms of arterial gas embolism may be present but masked by environmental effects such as hypothermia, or pain from other obvious causes. Neurological examination is recommended when there is suspicion of lung overexpansion injury.〔 Symptoms of decompression sickness may be very similar to, and confused with, symptoms of arterial gas embolism, however, treatment is basically the same. Symptoms include:〔 *Loss of consciousness *Cessation of breathing *Vertigo *Convulsions *Tremors *Loss of coordination *Loss of control of bodily functions *Numbness *Paralysis *Extreme fatigue *Weakness in the extremities *Areas of abnormal sensation *Visual abnormalities *Hearing abnormalities *Personality changes *Cognitive impairment *Nausea or vomiting *Bloody sputum *Symptoms of other consequences of lung overexpansion such as pneumothorax, subcutaneous or mediastinal emphysema may also be present. Discrimination between gas embolism and decompression sickness may be difficult for injured divers, and both may occur simultaneously. Dive history may eliminate decompression sickness in many cases, and the presence of symptoms of other lung overexpansion injury would raise the probability of gas embolism. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Air embolism」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|