What Researchers Did
Researchers conducted a scoping review of published literature to examine the safety and feasibility of using a defibrillator on a patient who goes into cardiac arrest while inside a hyperbaric chamber.
What They Found
From 10,348 publications screened, 33 were included, and only 4 publications described 5 actual cases of defibrillation during HBOT. There is strong consensus that defibrillation is strictly contraindicated inside monoplace (single-person) chambers due to fire risk from high oxygen levels. In multiplace chambers, it may be possible but must be assessed case-by-case, and no standardised guidelines currently exist.
Canadian Relevance
No direct Canadian connection identified.
Study Limitations
Only 5 real-world defibrillation cases were found in the entire literature, making it impossible to draw reliable safety conclusions.