Air embolism with empty lungs

[Water_is_my_blood]

Physics/physiology of air embolism is easy to understand. Ascent from few meters without breathing out is well enough to kill you. How about if you breath out everything you got at lets say 10m depth and ascend holding your breath? Air volume goes in lungs goes 1xVolume to 2xVolume. Residual volume (the volume of air remaining in the lungs after a maximal exhalation; adult male) is about 1.2 l. So 2 x 1,2 = 2.4l if you hold breath during ascend from 10m with "empty" lungs. Total lung capasity is 6 l. So you should be fine? Or does holding your breath somehow obstruct your lungs to expand? Do we know exact mechanism how air embolism happen? Does air embolism happen only when total lung capasity exceeds total lung capasity?

Of course this is just theoretical question. I am not gonna try this. I am MD so this kind of stuff is interesting for me. Not a native speaker so I hope you understand what I am trying to ask

 

[Water_is_my_blood]

Almost same question was asked recently. Sorry, I did not notice!

 

[tursiops]

Here is a better previous thread.

Minimum depth change required for an AGE?

We all know not to hold one's breath when ascending while diving, it's one of the most important rules in Scuba Diving taught right at the beginning of an Open Water course. We also know that due to Boyle's Law, the risk of Arterial Gas Embolism from air entering torn (pulmonary) capillaries...

scubaboard.com

 

[Gelirfella]

See my post in the related thread. I think the fundamental mechanism of air embolism is poorly understood and more likely related to microbubble formation than overexpansion.

 

[Duke Dive Medicine]

Physics/physiology of air embolism is easy to understand. Ascent from few meters without breathing out is well enough to kill you. How about if you breath out everything you got at lets say 10m depth and ascend holding your breath? Air volume goes in lungs goes 1xVolume to 2xVolume. Residual volume (the volume of air remaining in the lungs after a maximal exhalation; adult male) is about 1.2 l. So 2 x 1,2 = 2.4l if you hold breath during ascend from 10m with "empty" lungs. Total lung capasity is 6 l. So you should be fine? Or does holding your breath somehow obstruct your lungs to expand? Do we know exact mechanism how air embolism happen? Does air embolism happen only when total lung capasity exceeds total lung capasity?

Of course this is just theoretical question. I am not gonna try this. I am MD so this kind of stuff is interesting for me. Not a native speaker so I hope you understand what I am trying to ask

With the strong caveat for readers to not try this at home, yes, that's correct. Residual volume is roughly 1 liter, so if a compressed gas diver exhales to residual volume (which is difficult to do) at 10 meters and ascends with a closed glottis, the lungs will double in size and will not reach sufficient volume (with concomitant pressure increase beyond total lung capacity) to cause barotrauma.

Best regards,
DDM

 

[ScubaSamScubaStevesFather]

Also see here: Confused on AGE; holding breath OK if lungs are near-empty?