What Researchers Did
Researchers compared two types of hyperbaric oxygen treatment protocols for recreational scuba divers suffering from decompression sickness or arterial gas embolism.
What They Found
Of 113 divers treated with enhanced tables (165 fsw or 60 fsw with extended time), 54 (47.8%) had successful outcomes. For 214 divers treated with regular tables (60 fsw or less without extended time), 135 (63.1%) had successful outcomes. The study found that regular tables, using pressures of 60 fsw or less without extended recompression time, led to significantly better treatment success.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
For Canadian patients experiencing decompression sickness or arterial gas embolism after diving, this study suggests that treatment protocols using pressures of 60 fsw or less, without extended recompression time, may offer a higher chance of successful recovery. This information can help guide treatment decisions for these critical diving-related injuries.
Canadian Relevance
This study covers two Health Canada-recognized indications for hyperbaric oxygen therapy: decompression sickness and arterial gas embolism.
Study Limitations
A limitation of this study is its nonrandomized design, which means participants were not assigned to treatment groups by chance, potentially introducing bias.