Open AccessOrbital emphysema as a complication of bungee jumping
Author(s) -
Ralf Krott,
Holger Mietz,
Krieglstein Gk
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
medicine and science in sports and exercise
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.703
H-Index - 224
eISSN - 1530-0315
pISSN - 0195-9131
DOI - 10.1097/00005768-199707000-00002
Subject(s) - jumping , medicine , nose , skull fracture , paranasal sinuses , surgery , skull , physiology
Bungee jumping is a dangerous sport with increasing popularity in the western world. We report the case of a 28-yr-old man who sustained an orbital emphysema as a result of bungee jumping. He jumped head first from a 160-ft high bridge over a river. At the end of the jump he dived into the water with his head in a reclined position. The sudden dive into the water caused an increase of the air pressure in the nose and paranasal sinuses, which led to an emphysema of the right orbit resulting from a skull fracture not detectable by x-ray. The patient was treated with oral antibiotics. Five days later, he had no clinical complaints and the ophthalmologic examination was normal. This variation of bungee jumping may bear severe risk factors for health in addition to those known from the classic jumps.