What Researchers Did
Researchers interviewed six competitive freedivers about 13 cases of decompression illness they experienced, examining use of in-water recompression and subsequent HBOT treatment.
What They Found
Six cases involved in-water recompression at 5 to 25 metres depth for 20 to 90 minutes, with partial or complete symptom resolution. Four cases later received formal HBOT; one diver sustained permanent disability.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
Freediving is growing in popularity in Canada. In-water recompression is a high-risk improvised treatment that freedivers resort to when formal HBOT is inaccessible. This study highlights the need for better emergency protocols and closer HBOT access for competitive freedivers.
Canadian Relevance
Covers an OHIP-covered indication: decompression sickness and arterial gas embolism. Canadian freedivers who develop decompression illness may be eligible for publicly funded HBOT.
Study Limitations
Interview-based retrospective data from only six divers is subject to recall bias and may not represent all freediving decompression illness cases.