Last Updated:
Peruvian diver Alejandro “Willy” Ramos Martinez took a dive in the sea 10 years ago, when in an accident, nitrogen entered his body and his body became like a moving balloon. Even doctors have not been able to find a cure for this unique case of decompression sickness, while Willie still considers his survival a miracle.
Many dangers loom before the divers who earn their living from the depths of the sea, but what happened to a Peruvian fisherman has become an intriguing puzzle even for medical science around the world. A simple diving accident changed the life of Alejandro “Willy” Ramos Martinez. Alejandro, a diver by profession, had taken a dip in the sea 10 years ago, but then his oxygen pipe burst in an accident. In such a situation, due to coming to the surface of the water rapidly, nitrogen bubbles got trapped in his body in such a way that they have not been able to come out till date. Due to this rare condition, his body has swelled like a balloon. This case is unique of its kind in the world, where even doctors are unable to find a permanent cure for it.
This incident happened in 2013, when Alejandro was diving in search of seafood at a depth of more than 30 meters near the Pisco coast of Peru. Then a passing boat burst his oxygen hose pipe. In such a situation, he had to come to the surface of the water very fast to save his life. This process of suddenly coming out of the pressure of deep water created a serious condition in his body called “decompression sickness” or “chamber sickness”. In this situation, nitrogen gas dissolved in the body tissues and blood suddenly forms bubbles. In Willie’s case, these bubbles accumulated in his chest and arms, causing his chest, stomach and arms to continuously swell and look like a deflated balloon. Today the circumference of both his biceps has reached approximately 62 cm and 72 cm.
This issue is also challenging for medical science because common symptoms of decompression sickness include pain, bone and joint damage or nervous system damage. But physical deformities like Willy are rare. Doctors were successful in eliminating about 30% of the nitrogen bubbles from his body by giving him oxygen in a pressurized chamber, but even after 8 years, the remaining bubbles are stuck to his muscles and organs. Surgery is also not an option, because the bubbles are so deeply attached to the organs that removing them can be fatal. In an interview with the BBC, Willie said, “I was saved by a miracle. Thank God I am disfigured, but alive.” He also said that at one time he had gone into depression and could not tolerate people’s sympathy, but now he has recovered from that difficult period.
