What Researchers Did
Researchers reported a case of severe decompression sickness in a compressed air worker with a large atrial septal defect.
What They Found
A compressed air worker developed diffuse cutaneous decompression sickness after only his third hyperbaric exposure at 253 kPa gauge. He was found to have a 9 mm atrial septal defect causing a very large right-to-left shunt, while 32 other workers undergoing 233 similar exposures were unaffected. This represents the first reported case in the UK and second worldwide of shunt-mediated decompression sickness in a hyperbaric tunnel worker.
Canadian Relevance
This case study has no direct Canadian connection.
Study Limitations
As a single case study, these findings may not be generalizable to all compressed air workers or individuals with atrial septal defects.