Which body parts are most affected by barotrauma?

• A. Heart and liver
• B. Ears sinuses and lungs
• C. Brain and spinal cord
• D. Skin and muscles

Answer: (B)

Barotrauma happens when a diver’s body can’t equalize the pressure change with depth, so gas-filled spaces are the ones most at risk. The ears, sinuses, and lungs are the parts most affected because they contain air that expands or is compressed as ambient pressure changes.

In the ears, the middle ear must balance with the surrounding water pressure through the Eustachian tube. If that tube is blocked, pressure builds, causing pain, possible bleeding, and damage to the eardrum. In the sinuses, similar pressure changes can trap air and irritate or injure sinus membranes. In the lungs, expanding gas during ascent can overinflate delicate lung tissue, potentially leading to pneumothorax or other gas-related injuries.

Solid tissues like skin and muscles aren’t air-filled, so they don’t experience barotrauma in the same way. The heart, liver, brain, or spinal cord aren’t the primary targets of barotrauma either, though extreme cases involving air in the bloodstream can occur, they are not the typical presentation.