UHM 2018, Vol. 45, No.
1 – BOOK REVIEW: GAS BUBBLE DYNAMICS IN THE HUMAN BODY
Gas Bubble Dynamics in the Human Body
By Saul Goldman, Manuel Solano-Altamirano, Kenneth LeDez
Goldman, Altamirano and LeDez
took an exciting challenge while attacking the
dilemma of decompression from all angles of science.
Their efforts to update the firm bubble background
of the “state of the art” in biophysics are a needed
contribution since the publication of Brian Hill’s
masterpiece [1].
Chapter 1 sets the scene with the well-organized
equations in its appendix. It clarifies and “corrects”
the very basic terms such as “tension” and “oxygen
window.” However, users may need to build their own
glossary of abbreviations to find their way, especially
for some equations where the terms are explained in
subsequent chapters. Careful readers might spot some
mistakes in the basic sphere volume, Eq 1.17 or the
statement on Charles’ law, which in fact has to be
Dalton’s law. This should not discourage the reader:
We believe that these mistakes can be considered as
typos that will be soon corrected with an erratum.
The math side is modular, offering advance exercises
given in “For Math Mavens” boxes.
The chapters are organized in increasing complexity.
For instance, the section on Math Mavens needs to be
a bit patient before objecting to the mono exponential
only gas exchange definition given in Chapter 1.
It would be less unsettling if we had seen the underly-
ing differential equation for the simple gas exchange
equation in Chapter 1 or its appendix.
Chapters 2-5 and 8 deal largely with physical
principles of gas dynamics. As with the “tension”
concept, the supersaturation term is very clearly
described with sound chemical basis while addressing
the medical/physical dichotomy to complete the full
picture of the real life.
Egi SM, Marroni A
Book Review ✒
The “Problems” at the end of chapters, starting with
the second one, are consolidating the use of the book
as a reference source for graduate courses and might
even inspire some professors for challenging questions
for their undergraduate students’ exams and problem
sessions.
Starting from Chapter 3, the reader should be ready
to have the calculus book handy to digest and go slowly
to absorb the content without skipping the “Problems
sessions”.
Chapter 4 converges to “arithmetical magnitudes,”
leading off with a saying from mathematical physicist
Lord Kelvin: “I have no satisfaction in formulas unless
I feel their arithmetical magnitude.” At this point, it is
time to have numerical analysis textbooks close by;
pen and pencil will not be enough. It is time to turn on
your laptop to launch Matcad, Maple or Mathematica
in order to estimate the radii and lifetimes of gas
bubbles.
Although Chapter 10 is labeled as the place where
“Medicine and Math Merged,” we believe they already
seriously met each other, starting in Chapter 5. Merg-
ing is gradually completed by the end of Chapter 10.
Successful readers of Chapter 5 will be able to even
illustrate the current discussion on Taravana [2] by
bubble simulation on their laptop or even on their
mobile phone with Apps like MathStudio.
While Chapters 6 and 7 are preparing the engineers
for the pragmatic approach of Chapter 8, these sections
also include valuable reference information for medical
and biology researchers and students.
Non “Math Mavens” may simply choose to read the
logic of the observations and conclusions after every
“Math Maven” section and complex equations and
109
 UHM 2018, Vol. 45, No. 1 – BooK REVIEW: GAS BUBBlE DYNAMICS IN THE HUMAN BoDY

use it as a take-home message. It all consolidates in Additional information from Elsevier *

Chapter 10, where a number of practical use as well
TABLE OF CONTENTS
as logical and “making clinical sense” conclusions are
made. 1. Bubbles in the body: The not so good, the bad
and the ugly
Personally we consider this book a very pleasant
and, in its way, enlightening reading. 2. Driving force for gas bubble growth and
dissolution
S. Murat Egi, MSc, PhD 3. Rates of gas bubble growth and dissolution in
DAN Europe Research Division simple liquids
Galatasaray University, MTF, Computer Engineering 4. Estimating the radii and lifetimes of small gas
Department; smegi@daneurope.org bubbles suspended in simple liquids
Alessandro Marroni, MD, MSc, FUHM, FECB 5. AGEs in scuba diving and in DCS-like
President and CEO, DAN Europe Foundation problems in breath-hold diving
amarroni@daneurope.org 6. Gas bubbles in soft tissue-like solids
7. The evils that bubbles do
References 8. Compartmental decompression models and
1. Hills BA. Decompression sickness: the biophysical basics DCS risk estimation
of prevention and treatment. Chichester, UK: John Wiley 9. Treating the evils that bubbles do
and Sons. 1977.
10. Merging medicine and math: Gas bubble
2. Cialoni D, Pieri M, Giunchi G, et al. Detection of venous
dynamics in the treatment of gas-bubble
gas emboli after repetitive breath-hold dives: Case report.
disease
Undersea Hyperb Med. 43(4), July-August 2016; 449-455.
✦
DETAILS
No. of pages: 320
Language: English
Copyright: © Academic Press 2018
Published: 18th September 2017
Imprint: Academic Press
eBook ISBN: 9780128105207
Paperback ISBN: 9780128105191

* https://www.elsevier.com/books/gas-bubble-dynamics-
in-the-human-body/goldman/978-0-12-810519-1

110 Egi SM, Marroni A