What Researchers Did
Doctors described a single case in which hyperbaric oxygen was used to treat a pilot who lost oxygen and vision after his aircraft's cabin pressure suddenly dropped at high altitude.
What They Found
This is a case report of one pilot who lost consciousness within 5 to 8 seconds after his aircraft rapidly decompressed from 753 mb (2,438 m) to 148 mb (13,716 m), and who did not receive supplemental oxygen for 6 to 8 minutes. After landing, he was blind and disoriented for 6.5 hours until hyperbaric oxygen therapy was given, after which his orientation and vision returned and neurologic findings were negative.
Canadian Relevance
No direct Canadian connection identified.
Study Limitations
This is a single case report from 1976 with no comparison group, so it cannot show whether hyperbaric oxygen caused the recovery or how reliably it would work in other patients or causes of cerebral hypoxia.