An Unusual Case of Air Embolism Precipitated by Decompression

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Abstract
THE occurrence of air embolism during submarine escape training has been very infrequent. In 67,000 ascents from depth in the Escape Training Tank at New London during the past five years, only 7 cases have occurred. One of these, which terminated fatally, has previously been reported.1 The current technic for individual escape from a submerged submarine is called "buoyant-assisted, free ascent." The person escaping enters a special isolated compartment, which is then flooded from the sea to about chest level. With compressed air the pressure within the compartment is increased to equal the outside sea pressure. The escape hatch can . . .