What Researchers Did
Researchers retrospectively analyzed medical records of 76 divers who received hyperbaric treatment for decompression sickness more than 48 hours after surfacing, comparing their outcomes to 128 divers treated earlier.
What They Found
In the delayed treatment group, 76% of divers achieved complete recovery, 17.1% had partial recovery, and 6.6% showed no improvement. These results were similar to the early treatment group, where 78% experienced complete recovery, 15.6% partial recovery, and 6.2% no recovery, with no significant difference between the groups.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
Canadian patients experiencing decompression sickness may still benefit from hyperbaric oxygen therapy even if treatment is delayed beyond 48 hours. This finding suggests that prompt treatment is ideal, but significant delays should not deter seeking hyperbaric recompression.
Canadian Relevance
This study was conducted in Israel and has no direct Canadian connection.
Study Limitations
As a retrospective study conducted at a single center, the findings may not be generalizable to all populations or treatment settings.