What Researchers Did
Researchers described the successful treatment of a 37-year-old climber with severe acute mountain sickness using a portable hyperbaric chamber.
What They Found
A 37-year-old climber suffering from acute high altitude pulmonary oedema at 7,060 m on Mount Everest was treated. The portable Gamow bag hyperbaric chamber treatment lasted two hours at a pressure of 103 mm Hg (2 psig) using ambient air, effectively lowering the patient's altitude from 6,050 m to 4,400 m. This treatment successfully resolved the pulmonary oedema, and the patient fully recovered upon reaching 2,000 m.
Canadian Relevance
No direct Canadian connection identified.
Study Limitations
As a case report, this study describes the experience of only one patient, which limits how broadly its findings can be applied to other individuals.