Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 27, 2025

Surfactant Depletion Combined with Injurious Ventilation Results in a Reproducible Model of the Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome ARDS
Published on: April 7, 2021
Fatal Pulmonary Barotrauma from a Commercial Flight
Background:
There is a paucity of cases of fatal pulmonary barotrauma in the literature unless the patient is mechanically ventilated. Here we report a presumed pulmonary barotrauma caused by pulmonary cyst rupture as barometric pressure reduced during a commercial flight, with tragic consequences.
Case Report:
A 71-yr-old woman with a history of a large pulmonary cyst lost consciousness on a commercial domestic flight (1.15-h flight time). This period of reduced level of consciousness was undetected and may have caused hypoxic brain injury. Subsequent hospital investigations revealed a large cavitating lesion in the left lung and free gas in the brain, suggestive of pulmonary barotrauma and cerebral arterial gas embolism. Progression of the hypoxic brain injury caused death.
Discussion:
The likely cause of death was speculated to be caused by the preexisting pulmonary cyst, which was ruptured by either Valsalva, cough suppression, change in barometric pressure, or a combination of all three, causing fatal air emboli. Stevens G. Fatal pulmonary barotrauma from a commercial flight. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2025; 96(2):180-182.
Related Concept Videos
Pneumothorax-I
Pneumothorax can be even further classified as spontaneous, traumatic, and tension pneumothorax.
Pneumothorax-II
Clinical Manifestations:
Flail Chest-I
Flail chest is a severe and potentially life-threatening condition characterized by the fracture of three or more adjacent ribs in multiple places. It is most commonly caused by direct impacts and trauma, such as motor vehicle accidents or injuries from a steering wheel impact. It can also occur due to falls in elderly individuals with osteoporosis, or assaults involving sharp objects.
Pathophysiology
The pathophysiology of flail chest is complex, involving fractures of...
Flail Chest-II
Assessment:
1. Clinical Evaluation:
History:
Acute Respiratory Failure-II
The underlying physiological abnormalities that contribute to hypoxemic respiratory failure include:
Acute Respiratory Failure-III

