What Researchers Did
Researchers conducted a randomized controlled trial comparing in-water recompression (IWR) to normobaric oxygen (NBO2) for treating decompression sickness, using 2D echocardiography to measure venous gas emboli.
What They Found
Before treatment, mean bubble counts were 28.1 bpf for the IWR group and 18.3 bpf for the NBO2 group. After treatment, IWR reduced bubble counts to 0.1 bpf (p < 0.01) and NBO2 to 1.8 bpf (p = 0.103), representing a 99.7% and 90.1% reduction respectively, though the difference between groups was not statistically significant.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
For Canadian divers experiencing decompression sickness in remote areas without immediate access to a hyperbaric chamber, in-water recompression may offer a viable emergency treatment option. This could potentially reduce the severity of symptoms while awaiting definitive care.
Canadian Relevance
This study has no direct Canadian connection.
Study Limitations
A limitation is that the observed reduction in bubble counts between in-water recompression and normobaric oxygen was not statistically significant.