Abstract:
In Yucatán, Mexico, during the sea cucumber season fishermen dive intensely to obtain good catches but are often at risk of decompression sickness (DCS). We present a single case fatality. We analyzed the clinical course, medical assessment and recompression treatment plan of an untrained fisherman. A 35-year-old male ascended rapidly using compressed-air diving. Before reaching the coast, he reported dizziness, shortness of breath, and pain in the abdomen and legs. Three hours later, when symptoms worsened, he went to the hospital. He was admitted with increased osteotendinous reflexes and cutis marmorata in the abdomen. The patient was diagnosed with carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning and Type I DCS, receiving the U.S. Navy Treatment Table 5 (USN TT5). Before completing his treatment at depth, he developed myocardial infarction and died. The death certificate indicated Type I DCS, thrombotic pulmonary embolism and cardiac arrest. Upon reviewing his medical records, we uncovered no evidence to support the diagnosis of CO poisoning and thrombotic pulmonary embolism. The clinical presentation seems to be compatible with a serious decompression insult, not a Type I hit. Based on the information gathered, it seems likely that the patient died as a result of cardiopulmonary DCS. This case report suggests a need to provide fishermen divers in this region with formal dive training. There also seems to be a need to improve medical education for physicians who work at hyperbaric programs, and to ensure that sufficient and qualified staff is present to supervise patients inside the chambers.
Mendez, Huchim-Lara, Rivera-Canul, Chin, Tec, Cordero-Romero, , , (). Fatal cardiopulmonary decompression sickness in an untrained fisherman diver in Yucatán, Mexico: a clinical case report. Undersea & hyperbaric medicine : journal of the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society, Inc, ;44(3):279-281. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28779584