Decompression sickness

Decompression sickness is a disorder caused by bubbles that form when environmental pressure is reduced during decompression ^[1]. In the source material, it is distinguished from arterial gas embolism, which is a separate but related syndrome within decompression illness; decompression sickness is attributed specifically to in-situ bubble formation from dissolved inert gas ^[1]. The provided sources describe it as a syndrome with a constellation of symptoms following a change in ambient pressure ^[2].

The documented clinical spectrum is broad, ranging from itching and minor pain to neurological symptoms, cardiac collapse, and death ^[1]. The review also indicates that decompression sickness can present as part of a larger decompression illness spectrum, with serious cases potentially leaving residual deficits even after several recompressions ^[1]. The available sources do not provide a detailed organ-system staging, specific symptom timelines, or a complete complication taxonomy beyond the severe outcomes noted here ^[1].

Reported settings include divers, compressed air workers, aviators, and astronauts, reflecting exposure to changing ambient pressure rather than person-to-person spread ^[1]. The source material also notes that arterial gas embolism within the decompression illness spectrum can arise from iatrogenic causes unrelated to decompression, but this is not presented as a feature of decompression sickness itself ^[1]. Risk is affected by immersion, exercise, and heat or cold, although the sources do not quantify incidence, geographic distribution, or outbreak burden ^[1]. Historical and review literature in the payload indicates ongoing scholarly attention to pathophysiology, risk factors, and long-term effects, but source-backed surveillance estimates are not yet available ^[2][4][5].

Decompression sickness is not described as infectious and has no person-to-person transmission route in the source material. It results from exposure to reduced environmental pressure leading to bubble formation from dissolved inert gas ^[1]. The relevant exposure contexts are pressure-change activities such as diving, compressed air work, aviation, and spaceflight ^[1].

Source-backed risk groups include divers, compressed air workers, aviators, and astronauts, all of whom encounter reductions in environmental pressure ^[1]. The review also indicates that risk is influenced by immersion, exercise, and heat or cold, but does not specify age, sex, or comorbidity-based risk stratification ^[1].

The provided sources do not give a detailed preventive schedule or operational protocol, so source-backed detail on prevention is limited. They do identify exposure-related risk modifiers, including immersion, exercise, and heat or cold, which may be relevant to risk reduction planning ^[1]. For established decompression illness, first aid is 100% oxygen and definitive treatment is recompression with breathing 100% oxygen, and the review also mentions adjunctive fluid administration and prophylaxis against venous thromboembolism in paralyzed patients ^[1].

In surveillance contexts, decompression sickness should be read as a pressure-exposure syndrome rather than an communicable disease event ^[1]. The source evidence supports attention to affected occupational and recreational groups exposed to changing pressure, and to severity ranging from minor cutaneous or pain symptoms to neurological compromise and death ^[1]. The literature cited here also notes a role for bubble monitoring and ongoing uncertainty about long-term effects, but the available payload does not provide standardized case definitions or reporting thresholds ^[2].

1. 1 Vann RD et al. Decompression illness. Lancet. 2011 Jan 8. PMID: 21215883. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(10)61085-9. PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21215883/
2. 2 Decompression and Decompression Sickness. Comprehensive Physiology. 2014. doi: 10.1002/j.2040-4603.2014.tb00566.x. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/j.2040-4603.2014.tb00566.x
3. 3 Sen S et al. Therapeutic effects of hyperbaric oxygen: integrated review. Med Gas Res. 2021 Jan-Mar. PMID: 33642335. doi: 10.4103/2045-9912.310057. PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33642335/
4. 4 Decompression: Decompression sickness. British Journal of Sports Medicine. 1986. doi: 10.1136/bjsm.20.2.50-a. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsm.20.2.50-a
5. 5 Decompression — Decompression Sickness. Scholarly DOI record. 1984. doi: 10.1007/978-3-662-02409-6. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-02409-6
6. 6 Mitchell SJ et al. Decompression Sickness and Arterial Gas Embolism. N Engl J Med. 2022 Mar 31. PMID: 35353963. doi: 10.1056/NEJMra2116554. PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35353963/

ICD-10

T70.3

ICD-11

NF04

Total cases

0

Peak month

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Coverage

0 reporting countries · —