Pulmonary oedema in SCUBA divers: pathophysiology and computed risk analysis.

SCUBA diving has become a popular sport, with an increasing number of people participating in it. Although it is an essentially very safe activity, several specific medical problems are associated with diving. The present paper addresses diving-related pulmonary oedema, which is a rarely reported condition. It has been described mostly in cold water diving, and its occurrence in warm water has not been documented before. We delineate the pathophysiology of this condition and its treatment, and use a novel computational model to analyse further the mechanisms leading to diving-related pulmonary oedema. A better understanding of diving-related pulmonary oedema may lead to earlier recognition and treatment, and, potentially, to its prevention. The physiological mechanisms likely to lead to diving-related pulmonary oedema are well recognized. Consequently, we could design and construct a bio-mechanical computer model of the alveolar septa to explore the pathophysiology of diving-related pulmonary oedema and the vulnerability of individual divers as they relate to some mechanical characteristics of their lung structure. The physiological mechanisms of diving-related pulmonary oedema and the results provided by the computational model successfully delineated the process. The model predicted that the risk of injury is significantly increased in individuals who have a stiffer lung parenchyma or lower lung compliance values.