Evaluation of Precordial Ultrasonic Monitoring to Avoid Bends at Altitude

摘要

Several investigators have reported that intravascular bubbles can be detected in decompressed subjects before they develop bends. The altitude exposures were generally of short duration with a limited number of subjects. This important preliminary finding needed to be verified in a larger sampling of long duration altitude exposures. In this experiment, 32 subjects in 82 flights were taken to 27,500 ft simulated altitude for 8 h or until the subject developed bends. Many subjects took more than one flight. At altitude, as the subjects were monitored for circulating bubbles, it was determined that bubbles occurred in 77% of the flights in which the subjects developed bends. On the other hand, no bubbles were found in 61% of the flights in which the subjects remained bends free. Keywords: Decompression sickness, High altitude, Gas embolism, Reprints. (aw)