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Carbon monoxide poisoning in a diver.
1Accident and Emergency Department, Morriston Hospital, Swansea.
Archives of Emergency Medicine
|March 1, 1992
Summary
Carbon monoxide poisoning is a rare diving hazard from faulty equipment or engine exhaust. It may be misdiagnosed as decompression sickness, but hyperbaric oxygen therapy is effective.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Diving Medicine
- Toxicology
Background:
- Carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning is an uncommon but recognized risk in sport and inshore diving.
- Sources of CO contamination include faulty breathing air compressors and exhaust from nearby petrol engines.
Observation:
- The incidence of CO poisoning in divers may be under-reported.
- CO poisoning symptoms can mimic those of decompression sickness (DCS).
Findings:
- CO poisoning shares symptomatic overlap with DCS.
- Both CO poisoning and DCS may respond to hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy.
Implications:
- This diagnostic challenge necessitates heightened awareness among dive medical professionals.
- Accurate diagnosis is crucial for appropriate treatment and diver safety.
- Further research may clarify diagnostic criteria and optimal management strategies for CO poisoning in divers.