Citation

Le Guen H, Halbert C, Gras Le Guen C, Coulange M. Arch. Pediatr. 2012; 19(7): 733-735.

Vernacular Title

Accident barotraumatique grave chez un enfant lors d'un baptême de plongée.

Affiliation

Département d'anesthésie-réanimation, polyclinique de l'Atlantique, Saint-Herblain, France.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2012, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.arcped.2012.04.014

PMID

22682518

Abstract

Scuba diving is increasingly popular for children. However, this activity, including in shallow water, can be responsible for severe accidents. We report the case of a 13-year-old boy who dove for the first time in the Mediterranean Sea and suffered pulmonary barotraumas, complicated by arterial gas embolism with pneumomediastinum, cerebral, and coronary injuries. Any symptoms occurring after a dive, even in shallow water, must be considered a diving accident. Emergency medical personnel should contact a hyperbaric center for advice. In case of coronary or cerebral gaseous embolism, specific management requiring therapeutic recompression is urgently required.

Language: fr