Lung bullae and freediving

[Markos Valsamis]

Hello all,

While I am aware that there is reasonably strong evidence that lung bullae are a risk factor for barotrauma in scuba diving, and their presence is a contraindication (absolute?) to scuba diving, I have been unable to find any information about their risk, if any, in freediving.

Logically, there will never be more air in the lung than there is at the surface, before the individual dives (unless they are inhale from a compressed air source underwater!), so I cannot see how the bulla can burst. However, I wonder whether the redistribution of air within the lungs while expansion is occurring during the ascent could conceivably cause a problem?

Would value input on the topic.

Best wishes
Markos

 

[Duke Dive Medicine]

Hello all,

While I am aware that there is reasonably strong evidence that lung bullae are a risk factor for barotrauma in scuba diving, and their presence is a contraindication (absolute?) to scuba diving, I have been unable to find any information about their risk, if any, in freediving.

Logically, there will never be more air in the lung than there is at the surface, before the individual dives (unless they are inhale from a compressed air source underwater!), so I cannot see how the bulla can burst. However, I wonder whether the redistribution of air within the lungs while expansion is occurring during the ascent could conceivably cause a problem?

Would value input on the topic.

Best wishes
Markos

Markos, it seems like you've gone a long way toward an answer already. If there was risk for air migration and trapping, then there could also be risk for rupture of the bullae depending on how fragile they are. It would be highly individual. Overall risk is probably low, but it's also probably not zero.

Best regards,
DDM