What Researchers Did
This retrospective study investigated risk factors and recompression strategies in 63 recreational divers presenting with spinal cord decompression sickness.
What They Found
Twenty-one divers (33%) experienced incomplete resolution of symptoms after one month. The clinical severity at presentation was the only independent predictor of poor outcome (odd ratio, 2.68; P < .033). Neither the time to treatment nor the choice of recompression procedure influenced recovery.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
Canadian divers experiencing spinal cord decompression sickness should be aware that initial symptom severity is a key indicator for long-term recovery. Prompt recompression treatment is important, but the specific recompression strategy or a delay of up to 3 hours did not significantly alter the outcome in this study.
Canadian Relevance
This study has no direct Canadian connection as it was conducted elsewhere.
Study Limitations
As a retrospective study, this research may be limited by potential biases in data collection and the inability to control for all confounding variables.