[Internal ear injuries in diving: apropos of 16 cases]

After the study of 16 observations of inner ear injuries in diving, the authors remind us to the different mechanisms of inner ear's lesions. The principle of treatment depends of these mechanisms. Emergency is to recognize a decompression injury. So, all vestibular disorders must be considered as a decompression injury, as soon as, it was a saturating diving. Hyperbaric oxygenotherapy must be undertaken immediately. Though the symptomatology suggestive of fistula for 4 patients, no surgical exploration was done. The follow-up was marked by spontaneous amelioration, that make think of possible spontaneous cicatrization.