Case report on a diver with type II decompression sickness and viral meningitis

A 33-yr-old man came to the emergency department with the chief complaint of a severe headache and decreased sensation in his right hand following a deep dive on scuba. Physical examination before recompression treatment was remarkable only for hypesthesia on the right hand. We diagnosed type II decompression sickness and the patient underwent standard recompression therapy. The patient experienced near-complete resolution of his symptoms, his only residual complaint being that of neck pain with head movement. To investigate other causes of headache, a computed tomography of the head was performed which was normal, and a lumbar puncture was performed which was consistent with viral meningitis. This is the first reported case of recompression treatment on a patient with viral meningitis and decompression sickness.