Citation

Blogg SL, Tillmans F, Lindholm P. Diving Hyperb. Med. 2023; 53(1): 31-41.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2023, South Pacific Underwater Medicine Society and European Underwater and Baromedical Society)

DOI

10.28920/dhm53.1.31-41

PMID

36966520

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Breath-hold (BH) diving has known risks, for example drowning, pulmonary oedema of immersion and barotrauma. There is also the risk of decompression illness (DCI) from decompression sickness (DCS) and/or arterial gas embolism (AGE). The first report on DCS in repetitive freediving was published in 1958 and from then there have been multiple case reports and a few studies but no prior systematic review or meta-analysis.

METHODS: We undertook a systematic literature review to identify articles available from PubMed and Google Scholar concerning breath-hold diving and DCI up to August 2021.

RESULTS: The present study identified 17 articles (14 case reports, three experimental studies) covering 44 incidences of DCI following BH diving.

CONCLUSIONS: This review found that the literature supports both DCS and AGE as potential mechanisms for DCI in BH divers; both should be considered a risk for this cohort of divers, just as for those breathing compressed gas while underwater.

Language: en

Keywords

Diving; Arterial gas embolism; Breath-hold diving; Decompression sickness; Freediving; Snorkelling; Spearfishing