Surviving Arterial Gas Embolism: Don’t Hold Your Breath

Few phrases in diving conjure up as much fear as arterial gas embolism.

Every time you dive, even in waters as shallow as 15 feet (4.5 meters), arterial gas embolism is a real threat. In order to be a safe diver, you need to understand what arterial gas embolism is, what causes it, and most importantly how to prevent it.

But before we get into all that information, let’s break down the medical jargon and talk about what arterial gas embolism is.

What is an Embolism?

An embolism is basically a blockage, so here we’re talking about your arteries being blocked by air.

Where does this air come from? The usual source is pulmonary barotrauma or, more succinctly, a popped lung.

Your lungs are full of thousands of little air sacs called aveoli and surrounding these sacs are pulmonary capillaries that carry oxygen from your lungs to the rest of your body.

If one of these sacs pops, air can enter the pulmonary capillaries and travel through your bloodstream to your brain. If this happens there’s a chance the air can prevent your brain from getting the blood it needs and cause a stroke.

What are the symptoms of an Arterial Gas Embolism?

As painful as this process sounds the initial pulmonary barotrauma usually goes unnoticed by the effected diver.

At least it does at first.

In time the diver could show any number of symptoms depending on the severity of the embolism.

These symptoms could be anything from personality changes, marbling of the skin, disorientation and chest pain, to blood coming from the nose and mouth, paralysis, convulsions, and death.

Arterial gas embolism is a diving risk that needs to be taken very seriously.

How do I treat an Arterial Gas Embolism?

If you notice that a diver may have an arterial gas embolism, your goal should be to get them to a recompression chamber as fast as possible.

During transportation have someone trained to administer oxygen start treating the diver. Keep them in a horizontal position and be prepared to give CPR if necessary.

If you’re far out at sea, radio for an air evacuation.

The diver needs to be recompressed in a hyperbaric chamber as soon as possible.

How do I prevent an Arterial Gas Embolism?

So how can you prevent this horrifying experience from ever happening to you?Just breathe.

Breathe all the time when you’re underwater. Never hold your breath. Pressure changes rapidly in the underwater world.

Holding your breath and ascending as little as a few feet could cause the air in your lungs to expand enough to cause pulmonary barotrauma. All you have to do is breath constantly and you can prevent a serious dive injury.

Arterial gas embolism is one of the most severe dive injuries a person can experience.

Fortunately prevention is easy. Like all possible dive injuries, it’s important that you understand what causes it, how to treat it, and how to prevent it.

Knowledge is power.

If you’re interested in learning more about arterial gas embolism and other dive injuries, talk to your local dive shop operator about taking a rescue diving course.

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