ABSTRACT
Spinal decompression sickness including spinal cord damage is indeed a rare sickness, and in particular, there have been few reports on residual functional disorder. This case was a 39-year-old male who had been a recreational scuba diver for 13 years. While scuba diving overseas, he had suffered from decompression sickness with spinal cord involvement. As a result, imcomplete paraplegia with spasticity, sensory disturbance, neurogenic bladder and bowel disturbance occurred. Inclusive rehabilitation containing physical therapy, was provided to control the spasticity, the pain, and the improvement of the activities of daily living was thereby achieved. However, the changes of the muscle hardness, paresthesia, and hyperalgesia, and the disturbance of position and vibration sense remained. The cause of spinal decompression sickness is not clear, but a venous embolism in the spinal veins has been reported. Further observation is considered necessary.
ABSTRACT
Spinal decompression sickness including spinal cord damage is indeed a rare sickness, and in particular, there have been few reports on residual functional disorder. This case was a 39-year-old male who had been a recreational scuba diver for 13 years. While scuba diving overseas, he had suffered from decompression sickness with spinal cord involvement. As a result, imcomplete paraplegia with spasticity, sensory disturbance, neurogenic bladder and bowel disturbance occurred. Inclusive rehabilitation containing physical therapy, was provided to control the spasticity, the pain, and the improvement of the activities of daily living was thereby achieved. However, the changes of the muscle hardness, paresthesia, and hyperalgesia, and the disturbance of position and vibration sense remained. The cause of spinal decompression sickness is not clear, but a venous embolism in the spinal veins has been reported. Further observation is considered necessary.