Perfluorocarbons for the treatment of decompression illness: how to bridge the gap between theory and practice.

What Researchers Did

This review article explored the theoretical benefits and practical challenges of using perfluorocarbons (PFCs) as a non-recompressive treatment for decompression illness (DCI).

What They Found

Numerous animal studies since the 1980s have shown that intravenous emulsion-based perfluorocarbons significantly improve survival and reduce decompression illness symptoms. However, issues like limited shelf-life, extended organ retention, and severe side effects, primarily due to emulsifiers, have prevented human approval. Encapsulating perfluorocarbons with amphiphilic biopolymers like albumin is a new approach to achieve biocompatibility without toxic emulsifiers.

Canadian Relevance

This study has no direct Canadian connection.

Study Limitations

The primary limitation highlighted is the current inability to translate the theoretical benefits of perfluorocarbons into approved human treatment due to formulation challenges and safety concerns.