What Researchers Did
This review examined various decompression procedures used for workers in compressed air tunnels and caissons, identifying their shortcomings and proposing safer alternatives.
What They Found
The review indicated that all current air decompression schedules for caisson and compressed air tunnel workers are inadequate and cause dysbaric osteonecrosis. Oxygen decompression was identified as the only viable and successful method for tunnel workers, used in Germany, France, and Brazil, and is the only permitted method in Germany. U.S. Navy tables 5 and 6 were found to be generally adequate for treating decompression sickness in caisson workers, even after long exposure times.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
For Canadian workers in occupations involving compressed air, this study highlights the potential for serious health risks, including bone and brain damage, from inadequate decompression methods. Implementing oxygen decompression protocols could significantly improve safety and reduce the incidence of decompression sickness and its long-term complications for these individuals. This could lead to better occupational health outcomes.
Canadian Relevance
This study covers decompression sickness, which is a Health Canada-recognized indication for hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
Study Limitations
This review paper, published in 1997, synthesizes existing multinational experience and does not present new experimental data or specific hyperbaric oxygen therapy protocols beyond general "oxygen decompression."