Proceedings of the Hypobaric Decompression Sickness Workshop Held in ArmstrongLaboratory, Brooks AFB, Texas on 16-18 October 1990

摘要

Decompression sickness (DCS) is the clinical condition resulting from evolvedinert gas bubbles in tissues caused by a reduction of environmental pressure. It is recognized that DCS continues to be an operational limitation in both aviation and space activities. Furthermore, it is expected that the crews of the next generation of military aircraft will be exposed to even higher altitudes. In order to document the current understanding of altitude decompression sickness and ascertain the operational significance of this disease, a workshop was held at the USAF Armstrong Laboratory (AL) (formerly USAF School of Aerospace Medicine), Brooks Air Force Base, Texas, on 16-18 October 1990. The meeting was sponsored by: (1) USAF AL, (2) NASA Johnson Space Center, and (3) AF Office of Scientific Research, and was attended by over 50 participants representing the Department of Defense (DOD), NASA, and university researchers. The reported incidence of altitude DCS is likely inaccurate due to potential career consequences. Efforts toward reporting with impunity were recommended. It was emphasized that DCS should be viewed as an occupational illness in the same way we view other physiological responses to environmental stress.