MINIMAL-RECOMPRESSION, OXYGEN-BREATHING APPROACH TO TREATMENT OF DECOMPRESSION SICKNESS IN DIVERS AND AVIATORS

摘要

With growing awareness of the incremental frequency with which difficulties are encountered in recompression treatment of severely injured patients, and the grossly inadequate decompressions now characterizing the civilian diver casualty population applying to USN recompression facilities, evaluation and clinical trials of therapeutic procedures, alternative to USN treatment tables, were undertaken. These techniques are particularly suitable for recompression management of aviators* dysbarism when descent to sea level has not provided complete palliation The proportion of good results obtained with initial recompression trials with these procedures has significantly exceeded that obtained in recent years, with the Diving Manual tables, although the current series of 79 eases surpassed comparable casualty groups in average case severity. Hypothetical and practical aspects of the treatment concept and technique are presented, and contraindications noted. There were no adverse responses to the 2.8 atmospheres absolute PO2, and nine normal volunteer subjects showed no impairment of timed vital capacity following test exposures.