Air bags have been shown to decrease mortality from automobile accidents. Herein is a unique case of bilateral pneumothorax following deployment and rupture of an air bag with no other associated chest trauma. One may posit that rupture of the air bag allowed high-pressure gases to be expelled into the patient's lungs resulting in explosive barotrauma.

Two patients incurred barotrauma to the pharynx by the explosion of soft-drink bottles into their mouths. The resultant effects on the pharynx (and in one case on the right lung) are described and guidelines are laid down for the approach to and treatment of these injuries. Both patients recovered, with an acceptable cosmetic and functional result.

Acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) requiring invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) is associated with a very poor prognosis. Therefore noninvasive mechanical ventilation (NIV) with avoidance of endotracheal intubation should be preferred. However, NIV can fail and result in severe respiratory acidosis. If IMV becomes mandatory, the development of pulmonary dynami...

BACKGROUND Studies of ventilation strategies that included higher PEEP in patients with acute lung injury (ALI) or acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) have yielded conflicting results. OBJECTIVE To determine whether higher PEEP during volume-limited and pressure-limited ventilation is associated with 28-day mortality or barotrauma rates in patients with ALI/ARDS. METHODS We searched ...

the exposure to electromagnetic field emitted by mobile telephones is increasing rapidly worldwide that causes side effects, including thermal and non thermal side effects. ear proximity to electromagnetic source may lead to greater damage and side effects, including hearing loss. this study was performed to assess the chronic effect of exposure to electromagnetic field of mobile telephones on ...

introduction: to reduce incidence of residual cholesteatoma following ear surgery; and to reduce the need for second look “open” mastoidectomy using endoscopic mastoidotomy. ten-year retrospective chart review of 249 primary cholesteatoma cases (1994-2004) with a minimum follow-up of two years.  the first objective was to evaluate the effectiveness of otoendoscopy in reducing the incidence of “...

A 13 yr old male with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia who received bilevel positive airway pressure ventilation via a face mask for post-transplant pneumonitis developed subcutaneous emphysema, radiographic evidence of pulmonary interstitial emphysema, pneumomediastinum and 6 h later, right hemiparesis and focal livedo reticularis. This case illustrates that severe barotrauma may complicate nonin...

RESUMO Os diagnósticos diferenciais que compõem as proptoses agudas são, muitas vezes, desafiadores. A anamnese e o exame clínico exigem do oftalmologista atenção especial aos detalhes permitem diferenciar quadros relativamente benignos autolimitados de evoluirão com incapacidades permanentes. Relatamos caso uma paciente 49 anos que, durante viagem avião, apresentou dor ocular, hematoma periorb...