What Researchers Did
A retrospective study was conducted to analyze scuba decompression illness (DCI) and fatalities in the U.S. military community on Okinawa Island, Japan, from 1989 to 1995.
What They Found
Researchers reported 94 cases of DCI, including 10 cerebral air-gas embolisms, and 9 diving fatalities, with an estimated overall incidence of 1/7400 dives and a fatality rate of 1/76,900. Complete recovery with hyperbaric oxygen treatment occurred in 91% of cases, but 67% of those requiring retreatment experienced chronic DCI residua.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
Canadian divers should be aware of the risks of decompression illness and fatalities, even when adhering to guidelines, as a significant portion of DCI cases were not due to no-decompression limit violations. Prompt hyperbaric oxygen treatment is highly effective for DCI, but repeated treatments may indicate a higher risk of long-term issues.
Canadian Relevance
This study has no direct Canadian connection as it focused on the U.S. military community on Okinawa Island, Japan.
Study Limitations
As a retrospective study, it relies on reported data which may be subject to reporting biases and incomplete records.