Citation

Viecelli A, Jamboti J, Waring A, Banham N, Ferrari P. Clin. Kidney J. 2014; 7(4): 380-382.

Affiliation

Department of Nephrology , Fremantle Hospital , Perth, WA , Australia ; School of Medicine and Pharmacology , University of Western Australia , Perth, WA , Australia.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2014, Oxford University Press)

DOI

10.1093/ckj/sfu048

PMID

25852912

Abstract

Decompression illness is a rare but serious complication of diving caused by intravascular or extravascular gas bubble formation. We report the first case of acute kidney injury in a 27-year-old diver following three rapid ascents. He presented with transient neurological symptoms and abdominal pain followed by rapidly progressive acute kidney injury (creatinine peak 1210 µmol/L) due to arterial air emboli. He received supportive care and 100% oxygen followed by hyperbaric therapy and recovered fully. Arterial air emboli caused by rapid decompression can affect multiple organs including the kidneys. Early transfer to a hyperbaric unit is important as complications may present delayed.

Language: en