Effect of Inert Gas Switching at Depth on Decompression Outcome in Rats
Abstract
THE ROLE that different inert gases have in causing decompression sickness (DCS) has been studied in length in both animals and humans. These investigations have demonstrated significant differences in inert gas uptake and elimination rates and potency for producing DCS. Because of these differences, the potential appears to exist for using inert gas sequencing to reduce the decompression requirement during operational diving. However, it is also believed that the decompression load (i.e., the inert gas that must be eliminated during decompression) could be increased under other gas-sequencing procedures if one gas is taken up by tissues faster than another gas is washed out. Under these circumstances, a transient increase in total inert gas pressure could occur under isobaric conditions via the phenomenon of counterdiffusion. In fact, there is some evidence that bubbles can form under such situations. Thus it appears important to determine which gas switches might be advantageous and which might be disadvantageous from a decompression safety point of view. (JS)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1989
- Accession Number
- ADA230172
Entities
People
- M. E. Maccallum
- R. S. Lillo
Organizations
- Naval Medical Research Center