Statement of Principles concerning sinus barotrauma No. 316 of 1995 (Cth)

Instrument No.316 of 1995

Statement of Principles

concerning

SINUS BAROTRAUMA

ICD CODE: 993.1

Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986
subsection 196B(2)

1.         Being of the view that there is sound medical-scientific evidence that indicates that sinus barotrauma and death from sinus barotrauma can be related to operational service rendered by veterans, peacekeeping service rendered by members of Peacekeeping Forces and hazardous service rendered by members of the Forces, the Repatriation Medical Authority determines, under subsection 196B(2) of the Veterans’ Entitlements Act1986 (the Act), that the factors that must as a minimum exist before it can be said that a reasonable hypothesis has been raised connecting sinus barotrauma or death from sinus barotrauma with the circumstances of that service, are:

(a)       being exposed to an abrupt change in the barometric pressure surrounding the person immediately before the clinical onset of sinus barotrauma; or

(b)       being exposed to an abrupt change in the barometric pressure surrounding the person immediately before the clinical worsening of sinus barotrauma; or

(c)       inability to obtain appropriate clinical management for the sinus barotrauma.

2.         Subject to clause 3 (below) at least one of the factors set out in paragraphs 1(a) to 1(c) must be related to any service rendered by a person.

3.         The factors set out in paragraphs 1(b) to 1(c) apply only where:

(a)       the person's sinus barotrauma was suffered before a period, or part of a period, of service to which the factor is related; and

(b)       the relationship suggested between the sinus barotrauma and the particular service of a person is a relationship set out in paragraph 8(1)(e), 9(1)(e), 70(5)(d) or 70(5A)(d) of the Act.

4.         For the purposes of this Statement of Principles:

“being exposed to an abrupt change in the barometric pressure” means directly experiencing a sudden rise or fall in atmospheric pressure surrounding the person, such as that which occurs during rapid altitude changes while ascending or descending in an aircraft or whilst underwater diving;

“ICD code” means a number assigned to a particular kind of injury or disease in the Australian Version of The International Classification of Diseases, 9th revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM), effective date of 1 July 1995, copyrighted by the National Coding Centre, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Sydney, NSW, and having ISBN 0 642 22235 5;

“sinus barotrauma” (also known as aerosinusitis or barosinusitis) means fluid accumulation and inflammation of the mucosa of one or more paranasal sinuses due to an inability to equilibrate the difference in pressure between the surrounding atmosphere and the air within the sinus cavity, causing clinical symptoms of sinus pain, sinus haemorrhage or x-ray changes to the sinus cavity, attracting ICD code 993.1.

Dated this       Twenty-ninth  day of              August      1995

The Common Seal of the    )

Repatriation Medical Authority                   )

was affixed to this instrument   )

in the presence of:   )

KEN DONALD

CHAIRMAN