Formation of vapour bubbles in bodily fluids due to reduced environmental pressure
Not to be confused with Embolism.
Ebullism is the formation of water vapour bubbles in bodily fluids due to reduced environmental pressure, usually at extreme high altitude. It occurs because a system of liquid and gas at equilibrium will see a net conversion of liquid to gas as pressure lowers; for example, liquids reach their boiling points at lower temperatures when the pressure on them is lowered.[1] The injuries and disorder caused by ebullism is also known as ebullism syndrome.[2] Ebullism will expand the volume of the tissues, but the vapour pressure of water at temperatures in which a human can survive is not sufficient to rupture skin or most other tissues encased in skin.[3]
Ebullism produces predictable injuries, which may be survivable if treated soon enough, and is often accompanied by complications caused by rapid decompression, such as decompression sickness and a variety of barotrauma injuries. Persons at risk are astronauts and high altitude aviators, for whom it is an occupational hazard.[1]
^ abCite error: The named reference Murray et al 2013 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^Cite error: The named reference Norfleet 2008 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^Cite error: The named reference Springel 2013 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
is lowered. The injuries and disorder caused by ebullism is also known as ebullism syndrome. Ebullism will expand the volume of the tissues, but the vapour...
while in the movie Total Recall, characters appear to suffer effects of ebullism and blood boiling when exposed to the atmosphere of Mars. The second type...
to prevent ebullism above 19 km. Most spacesuits use only 20 kPa (150 Torr) of pure oxygen. This pressure is high enough to prevent ebullism, but decompression...
prevent rupture. Ebullism is slowed by the pressure containment of blood vessels, so some blood remains liquid. Swelling and ebullism can be reduced by...
unavoidable. Swelling from ebullism can be reduced by containment in a flight suit which are necessary to prevent ebullism above 19 km. During the Space...
of 101.3 kilopascals (760 mmHg). At higher altitudes water vapour from ebullism will add to the decompression bubbles of nitrogen gas and cause the body...
(Vt). Other injuries with similar causes are decompression sickness and ebullism. A free-diver can dive and safely ascend without exhaling, because the...
is lowered. The injuries and disorder caused by ebullism is also known as ebullism syndrome. Ebullism will expand the volume of the tissues, but the vapour...
the body, but human flesh expands up to about twice its volume due to ebullism in such conditions, giving the visual effect of a body builder rather than...
system, resulting in an arterial gas embolism. A similar effect, known as ebullism, may occur during explosive decompression, when water vapour forms bubbles...
increases, the cavitation gases may redissolve. Underwater diving portal Ebullism – Formation of vapour bubbles in bodily fluids due to reduced environmental...
nursing Space weather Weightlessness Illness and injuries Asthenization Ebullism Illness and injuries during spaceflight Medical treatment during spaceflight...
barely survived the descent, having suffered massive tissue damage due to ebullism. The lack of oxygen left him brain damaged and in a coma from which he...
system, resulting in an arterial gas embolism. A similar effect, known as ebullism, may occur during explosive decompression, when water vapour forms bubbles...
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