Air and Nitrox Saturation Decompression: A Report of 4 Schedules and 74 Subjects,
Abstract
Seventy-four subjects were decompressed from air or nitrogen-oxygen saturation exposures at 60 to 132 feet sea water gauge (fswg) using four different decompression schedules. A twenty hour schedule for decompression from an air saturation-excursion profile at 60 fswg resulted in pain-only decompression sickness (DCS) symptoms in two of twenty-three subjects. A thirty-two hour schedule from a different air saturation profile at 65 and 75 fswg resulted in DCS symptoms in one of twenty-four subjects. A third and fourth schedule for air or nitrox saturation at 132 fswg resulted in DCS symptoms in three of twelve and one of fifteen respectively. No serious (type II) symptoms were observed as a result of any of the exposures. All cases consisted of knee pain occurring either in the last 10 fsw of the decompression, or shortly after surfacing. Doppler ultrasound monitoring revealed venous gas emboli (VGE) in several subjects, but generally only shallow to 20 fswg. Results demonstrate an overall DCS incidence of 9.5% , and all cases were pain-only in character.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1983
- Accession Number
- ADA148220
Entities
People
- R. D. Vann
- R. G. Eckenhoff
Organizations
- Duke University Hospital