[Incidents in sports diving]

Barotrauma of the ear is the most frequent incident in sport-diving. In some cases, inner ear disorders appear. Barotrauma with rupture of the lung can provoke gas embolism into the central nervous system and unconsciousness. Gas embolism into the spinal cord and decompression sickness of the spinal cord provoke practically the same neurological disturbances. The lower half of the body is mostly affected. Drowning in sport-diving is mostly the result of loss of consciousness resulting from hypoxia or hyperoxia, nitrogen-narcosis or gas embolism into the brain. Inner ear disorders, gas embolism in the brain or the spinal cord, decompression sickness of the spinal cord or the muscles and joints require treatment in the pressure chamber with hyperbaric oxygen. This treatment remains effective even if started some days after the dive.