Central nervous system involvement in decompression syndrome can result in permanent disability and even death.
Mechanism: bubbles in microvasculature interfering with blood flow. In severe cases infarcts of brain or spinal cord may occur.
Types of neurologic involvement:
(1) cerebral
(2) cerebellar
(3) spinal cord
Cerebral DCS
(1) altered mental status or loss of consciousness
(2) memory deficits
(3) aphasia
(4) impaired judgment
(5) delirium
(6) personality change
(7) headache, which may be migraine-like
(8) severe or excessive fatigue/exhaustion
Cerebellar DCS
(1) abnormal gait
(2) abnormal Romberg test (falls after a slight push while standing with eyes closed and feet together)
Spinal DCS may include:
(1) sensory loss
(2) muscle weakness
(3) abnormal deep tendon reflexes
(4) paralysis
(5) paresis
(6) thoracoabdominal pain
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Specialty: Emergency Medicine, Critical Care, Pulmonology, Neurology
ICD-10: ,
