What Researchers Did
Researchers looked back at 10 years of medical records to find out how often cave divers in Australia got decompression illness (DCI) and how they were treated.
What They Found
Over 10 years, 16 cave divers were treated for DCI, with the estimated incidence being 2.8 cases per 10,000 dives (0.028%) out of approximately 57,000 dives. This incidence could be as high as 0.05%, especially for dives deeper than 90 meters fresh water, which accounted for three of the 16 DCI cases.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
While this study was conducted in Australia, its findings on DCI incidence in cave diving can inform safety practices for Canadian divers. Understanding the risks associated with deep or repetitive dives, particularly in cold water environments similar to some Canadian conditions, can help prevent DCI. This information highlights the importance of proper dive planning and the availability of hyperbaric oxygen therapy for treating DCI if it occurs.
Canadian Relevance
This study covers decompression sickness, which is a Health Canada-recognized indication for hyperbaric oxygen therapy. However, the study itself was conducted in Australia and did not involve Canadian authors or participants.
Study Limitations
A key limitation is that the total number of dives was an estimate based on assumptions, which might affect the accuracy of the reported DCI incidence.