Triage and Treatment of Mass Casualty Decompression Sickness After Depressurization at 6400 m

What Researchers Did

Researchers reported a mass casualty incident where 36 patients developed decompression sickness symptoms after rapid cabin depressurization aboard an aircraft at 6,400 m altitude, managed at a small military clinic.

What They Found

All 36 patients were evaluated and triaged. Some were treated with supplemental oxygen in clinic. Six patients were diagnosed with Type II decompression sickness and referred for HBOT -- all reported at least some symptom relief after hyperbaric treatment.

Canadian Relevance

Decompression sickness is an OHIP-covered indication for HBOT in Ontario.

Study Limitations

This is a single mass casualty case report; the small hyperbaric treatment group (6 patients) does not allow statistical conclusions about HBOT efficacy for aviation DCS.