A tale of three divers: recompression therapy for divers with severe Type II decompression sickness with neurological deficits

Liow MHL, Chong SJ, Kang WL
Correspondence: Dr Liow M H Lincoln, lenenkie@gmail.com

ABSTRACT
Decompression sickness (DCS) is manifested in a myriad of symptoms, and can affect any part of the body. It is attributed to the formation of inert gas bubbles in the blood and tissues. Following a diving incident, the pathogenesis of DCS is a result of mechanical obstruction caused by the inert gas bubbles and the body’s immunological response to the bubbles. Neurological DCS may present with unusual sensory/motor symptoms that may lead to paralysis. This report describes three divers who suffered severe neurological Type II DCS and underwent recompression therapy at the Naval Hyperbaric Centre in 2007.

Keywords: decompression sickness, diving complication, hyperbaric oxygenation, neurological deficits, recompression therapy
Singapore Med J 2009; 50(5): e173-e175