Published in:
01-10-2019 | Clinical Practice: Clinical Images
Skin Bends: a Cutaneous Manifestation of Decompression Sickness
Published in: Journal of General Internal Medicine | Issue 10/2019
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A 62-year-old man reported the rapid onset of acute ataxia and a pruritic, tender, mottled rash on his torso. The patient had been on two SCUBA dives a few hours earlier—as deep as 20 m, with adherence to standard ascent protocols. He denied vision changes, weakness, and shortness of breath. He texted photos of his skin findings to his doctor (Figures 1 and 2). A clinical diagnosis of decompression sickness (DCS) was made. Medics administered high flow oxygen and intravenous fluids. Hyperbaric treatment was not available. In the emergency department, his symptoms resolved within several hours.
Figure 1
Photograph of mottled, tender, pruritic rash on patient’s torso
Figure 2
Another photograph of the rash on patient’s torso, closer view
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