What Researchers Did
Researchers evaluated the effects of acute high-altitude exposure on fitness to dive and the safety of decompression after heliox diving, using U.S. Navy tables with Cross correction, by simulating dives at various altitudes in a chamber with four professional male divers.
What They Found
Across 24 person-dives, researchers found no venous gas emboli during decompression and no post-dive symptoms of decompression illness. However, both EEG findings and subjective evaluations indicated increased sleepiness and fatigue at simulated altitudes of 3000 m, 4000 m, and 5200 m compared to sea level.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
Canadian professional divers undertaking heliox dives at high altitudes might find reassurance in the safety of U.S. Navy decompression tables, but should be mindful of potential increased fatigue and sleepiness. This highlights the importance of monitoring for fatigue in such extreme environments to ensure diver safety and performance.
Canadian Relevance
There is no direct Canadian connection identified in this study.
Study Limitations
The study was conducted in a simulated environment with a small sample size of four professional male divers, which limits the generalizability of the results.