Decompression Sickness Management

Aka: Decompression Sickness Management, DCS Management, Recompression Chamber, Recompression Management, Recompression Therapy

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II. Management

  1. Air transport no higher than 1000 feet
  2. Urinary Catheter for spinal DCS
  3. Decompression chamber (see below)

III. Management: Recompression (USN Table 6 Algorithm)

  1. Recompression mechanism
    1. Reduces bubble size
    2. Increases off-gassing of nitrogen
  2. Outcomes with Recompression
    1. Majority of DCS patients have good recovery
  3. Protocol Summary
    1. Initial recompression
      1. Depth: 60 feet salt water at 100% Oxygen
      2. Duration: 60 Minutes
    2. Next Recompression on Oxygen
      1. Depth: 30 feet salt water at 100% Oxygen
      2. Duration: 60 Minutes
    3. Next Recompression on Room Air
      1. Depth: 30 feet salt water at room air
      2. Duration: 60 Minutes

IV. Resources

  1. Divers Alert Network (DAN) at Duke UMC
    1. Emergency Phone: 919-684-8111 (24 hours)
    2. Nonemergency Phone: 919-684-2948 (weekdays 8-5)

V. References

  1. Clenney (1996) Am Fam Physician 53(5):1761-6 [PubMed]
  2. Moon (1999) Crit Care Clin 15:429-56 [PubMed]
  3. Newton (2001) Am Fam Physician 63(11): 2211-2226 [PubMed]

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