DECOMPRESSION SICKNESS IN HIGH-ALTITUDE FLIGHT

Abstract

Review of 5 years of a WU-2 squadron's daily records shows 36 cases of decompression sickness entirely confined to reports of bends pain among 11 crewmembers in 958 flights. Generally, 40 minutes were spent in denitrogenation in a partial pressure suit and helmet before achieving cabin altitudes of close to 29,000 feet. The majority of bends occurred within the first 3.5 hours affecting the knee joints in almost two-thirds of the cases with a tendency to recur at the same joint. Only 1 case required descent to lower altitude to afford relief from pain.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 01, 1967
Accession Number
AD0658348

Entities

People

  • Willard L. Meader

Organizations

  • United States Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Abstracts
  • Aerospace Medicine
  • Air Force
  • Air Force Facilities
  • Altitude
  • Classification
  • Decompression
  • Decompression Sickness
  • High Altitude
  • Joints (Anatomy)
  • Lower Extremity
  • Medical Personnel
  • Partial Pressure
  • Pressure Suits
  • Security
  • Survival Equipment
  • Upper Extremity

Readers

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