Korean J Androl.  2006 Apr;24(1):51-53.

A Case of Neurogenic Bladder and Erectile Dysfunction due to Decompression Sickness

• Kim HS
• Kim DY
• Seong BJ
• Kim SJ
• Chung JM
• Choi S

Abstract

Decompression sickness is a disease caused by nitrogen bubbles in the tissues of divers who move too rapidly from environments of higher to those of lower atmospheric pressures. Nitrogen breathed in air under pressure dissolves in tissue fluids. When ambient pressure is reduced too rapidly, nitrogen goes out of solution faster than it can be circulated to the lungs for expiration. Gaseous nitrogen then accumulates in the joint spaces and peripheral circulation, impairing tissue oxygenation. We report a case of patient who experiencedneurogenic bladder and erectile dysfunction after decompression sickness. To our knowledge, this is the first case of neurogenic bladder and erectile dysfunction due to decompression sickness in the Korean literature.

Keyword

Decompression sickness; Neurogenic bladder; Erectile dysfunction

MeSH Terms

Atmospheric Pressure
Decompression Sickness*
Decompression*
Erectile Dysfunction*
Humans
Joints
Lung
Male
Nitrogen
Oxygen
Urinary Bladder
Urinary Bladder, Neurogenic*
Nitrogen
Oxygen