[Inner ear injuries in breath-holding divers]

Five breath-hold divers with inner ear barotrauma due to the diving to 10 meters of depth have been treated at the Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Pula Medical Centre during 1990. Because of eustachian tube dysfunction, a negative middle ear pressure is transmitted into the inner ear over the round and oval window causing a lower hydrostatic pressure of the inner ear fluids and consequent delay in microcirculation of the inner auditory artery. Together with a hypoxia in apnea the oxygen demand is increased and the inner ear neuroepithelium damage is more severe. All treated divers had irreversible sensorineural hearing loss of the attacked ear on frequency range higher than 2000 Hz to 70-80 dB.