What Researchers Did
Researchers conducted a retrospective review of medical records spanning 30 years to determine the safety of using monoplace chambers for United States Navy Treatment Table 6 (USN TT6) in treating decompression illness.
What They Found
Out of 1000 USN TT6 treatments performed between 1989 and 2020, four oxygen toxicity seizures occurred. The seizure rate was 0.59% (1/167) in multiplace chambers, with no seizures observed in 331 monoplace chamber treatments. There was no statistically significant difference in seizure rates between monoplace and multiplace chambers (P = 0.31).
What This Means for Canadian Patients
For Canadian patients requiring hyperbaric oxygen treatment for decompression illness, this study suggests that monoplace chambers may offer a similar low risk of oxygen toxicity seizures compared to multiplace chambers. This could potentially expand access to treatment options, especially in facilities where multiplace chambers are not available.
Canadian Relevance
This study was conducted in Australia and does not have a direct Canadian connection.
Study Limitations
As a retrospective review, the study may be limited by the completeness and consistency of historical medical record data.