What Researchers Did
Researchers conducted controlled experiments to investigate the risk of decompression sickness (DCS) when flying after recreational diving, specifically looking at how long divers waited on the surface before flying.
What They Found
Out of 802 exposures involving 495 subjects, 40 incidents of decompression sickness occurred during or after flight. The study found that the risk of DCS decreased as the preflight surface interval increased, and repetitive dives generally required longer surface intervals than single dives to achieve a low incidence (p = 0.0159). Notably, no DCS occurred in 52 trials where subjects waited 17 hours before flying.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
This study provides important information for Canadian recreational divers planning to fly after diving, suggesting that longer surface intervals reduce the risk of decompression sickness. Waiting at least 17 hours after diving before flying may significantly lower the chance of experiencing DCS, especially after multiple dives. These findings can help divers make safer travel decisions.
Canadian Relevance
This study covers decompression sickness, which is a Health Canada-recognized indication for hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Although the study itself was not conducted by Canadian authors or in Canada, its findings are directly relevant to Canadian recreational divers.
Study Limitations
The study was conducted in a controlled hyperbaric chamber environment, which may not fully replicate real-world open water diving conditions.