Gas Bubble Dynamics in the Human Body

Gas Bubble Dynamics in the Human Body provides a broad range of professionals, from physicians working in a clinic, hospital or hyperbaric facility, to physical scientists trying to understand and predict the dynamics of gas bubble behavior in the body, with an interdisciplinary perspective on gas-bubble disease. Both iatrogenic and decompression-induced gas bubbles are considered. The basic medical and physiological aspects are described first, in plain language, with numerous illustrations that facilitate an intuitive grasp of the basic underlying medicine and physiology. Current issues in the field, particularly microbubbles and microparticles, and their possible role in gas-bubble disease are included. The physical and mathematical material is given at several levels of sophistication, with the "hard-core" math separated out in sections labelled "For the Math Mavens", so that the basic concepts can be grasped at a descriptive level. The field is large and multi-disciplinary, so that some of the discussion that is at a greater depth is given separately in sections labelled "In Greater Detail". Skipping these sections for whatever reason, shouldn't materially hamper acquiring an overall appreciation of the field.

Saul Goldman is a Professor Emeritus in the Chemistry Department at the University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada. Goldman is a highly cited researcher in statistical mechanics, transport theory, and simulations applied to atoms and molecules in fluid phases and to ions in ion channels. The purpose of much of his work is to predict and understand the thermodynamic, structural, spectroscopic and transport properties of molecules, atoms and ions, particularly under conditions that are relevant to molecular biology and engineering. Recent interests include the dynamics of gas bubbles in the body, and developing improved biophysical models for reducing the risk of decompression sickness and arterial gas embolism in scuba diving.

Juan Manuel Solano-Altamirano is an Assistant Professor at the Autonomous University of Puebla, Puebla, Mexico. Solano-Altamirano is interested in inter-disciplinary topics involving mathematics, physics, chemistry and high-performance computing. In particular, he is interested in the thermodynamic stability of elastic systems, dynamics of gas bubbles embedded in liquids and soft elastic media, studying the chemical bond from the perspective of quantum theory of atoms in molecules, and general aspects of physical chemistry and mathematical modeling.

Kenneth M. LeDez is Associate Professor in the Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University, Health Sciences Centre, St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. He is an anesthesiologist and former Research Director and academic Chair of the Discipline of Anesthesia at Memorial University. After graduating from medical school at the University of Dundee, Scotland, and undertaking training in anesthesia in London he returned to his native Canada in 1985 for a research Fellowship at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto and later additional residency training in anesthesia at the University of Toronto. It was there that Dr. LeDez revitalized the hyperbaric medicine service during a fellowship in Hyperbaric Medicine. He played a key role in founding the Canadian Chapter of the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society (now the Canadian Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Association – CUHMA) and was the first President. As Chair of the CUHMA Standards of Practice and Patient Safety Committee he was the editor and lead author of the “Guidelines to the Practice of Hyperbaric Medicine and Provision of Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment in Canada”. He is a past Vice-President of the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society (UHMS) and on the Editorial Board of the Canadian Journal of Anesthesia for 9 years. Dr. LeDez led the effort to establish national physician certification in hyperbaric medicine in Canada and this culminated in the approval of the Diploma in Hyperbaric Medicine by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. Now as Chair of the Specialty Committee for Hyperbaric Medicine he is leading the effort to implement the Diploma. Dr. LeDez has more than 30 years’ experience in Hyperbaric Medicine. He has been providing medical coverage for saturation diving in the offshore oil industry in Newfoundland and Labrador for 25 years by providing Diving Medicine services to Atlantic Offshore Medical Services. Dr. LeDez is recognized as a Specialist in Diving and Hyperbaric Medicine by the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board and the Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Board. He is Medical Director of the Hyperbaric Medicine Service at Eastern Health in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador. For over two decades he has represented Canada on the International Standards Organization committee (TC121) on Anesthesia and respiratory equipment. During his career, Dr. LeDez has published multiple articles and abstracts related to anesthesiology and hyperbaric medicine. He is married and has five young boys. Although now too busy to continue as a pilot, Dr. LeDez is an enthusiastic sailor, SCUBA Diver and underwater videographer.