What Researchers Did
Researchers conducted a prospective study treating 12 patients with altitude decompression sickness using a new protocol called USAF Treatment Table 8 (TT8), which involved 100% oxygen at 2 ATA for a total of two hours.
What They Found
Researchers found that USAF Treatment Table 8 (TT8) successfully treated 91% of 11 instances of Type I altitude decompression sickness in 10 patients. For Type II altitude decompression sickness, TT8 was successful in 50% of 2 patients.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
If further validated, this treatment protocol could offer a more accessible option for managing altitude decompression sickness, particularly in situations where traditional hyperbaric resources are limited. This could potentially improve outcomes for Canadian patients experiencing DCS in remote or high-altitude settings.
Canadian Relevance
This study has no direct Canadian connection.
Study Limitations
The study's primary limitation is its small sample size of only 12 patients, which limits the generalizability of the findings.