Recompression chamber

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Recompression chamber

A recompression chamber is a pressure vessel

Pressure vessel

A pressure vessel is a closed container designed to hold gases or liquids at a pressure different from the ambient pressure.The pressure differential is potentially dangerous and many fatal accidents have occurred in the history of their development and operation....
used to treat divers suffering from certain diving disorders such as decompression sickness

Decompression sickness

'Decompression sickness' , 'the diver?s disease', 'the bends', 'caisson disease' is the name given to a variety of symptoms suffered by a person exposed to a decrease in the pressure around the body....
.

Often the terms recompression chamber, decompression chamber, hyperbaric chamber, and hyperbaric oxygen therapy chamber are used interchangeably. The names reflect the different purposes that the chambers are designed for, rather than their capability. Each is capable, within limits, of operating in the others' role:

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A recompression chamber is a pressure vessel

Pressure vessel

Decompression sickness

A decompression chamber
Decompression chamber

A decompression chamber is a pressure vessel used in surface supplied diving to allow the divers to complete their decompression stops at the end of a dive on the surface rather than underwater....
is used in surface supplied diving
Surface supplied diving

Surface supplied diving refers to diving activities using equipment supplied with breathing gas using an Umbilical cord#Other uses for the term "umbilical cord" from the surface, often from a diving support vessel but possibly, indirectly via a diving chamber....
to allow the divers to complete their decompression stop
Decompression stop

A decompression stop is a period of time a SCUBA diving must spend at a constant depth in shallow water at the end of a dive to safely eliminate absorbed inert gases from the diver's body to avoid decompression sickness....
s at the end of a dive on the surface rather than underwater.
A hyperbaric oxygen therapy
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy

Hyperbaric medicine, also known as hyperbaric oxygen therapy , is the medical use of oxygen at a level higher than atmospheric pressure....
chamber is used in a hospital
Hospital

A hospital is an institution for health care providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment, and often but not always providing for longer-term patient stays....
or sporting context to treat patients whose condition might benefit from hyperbaric oxygen
Oxygen

Oxygen no O2 produced; 2) O2 produced, but absorbed in oceans & seabed rock; 3) O2 starts to gas out of the oceans, but is absorbed by land surfaces and formation of ozone layer; 4-5) O2 sinks filled and the gas accumulates]]...
treatment, including divers. Hyperbaric chambers capable of admitting more than one patient (multiplace) and an inside attendant have advantages for the treatment of decompression sickness and are preferred by the U.S. Coast Guard. Divers with serious complications or injuries may be attended to in this manner during recompression. In addition, multiplace chambers are generally capable of greater depth of recompression, should the need arise. For less seriously ill divers, the more common monoplace chamber is often used, especially if it is the only one available. A modified treatment regimen is then used.
Treatment is ordered by the treating physician (medical diving officer), and is usually in accordance with the U.S. Navy Diving Manual (U.S Navy Diving Tables). Other treatment tables have been developed, including the Catalina Tables, and others, including proprietary tables.

Test of pressure. If the diagnosis of decompression illness is considered questionable, the diving officer may order a test of pressure. This typically consists of a recompression to 60 feet seawater
Seawater

Seawater is water from a sea or ocean. On average, seawater in the world's oceans has a salinity of about 3.5%, or 35 parts per thousand . This means that every 1 kg of seawater has approximately 35 grams of sea salt ....
for up to 20 minutes. If the diver notes significant improvement in symptoms, or the operator can detect changes in the physical examination, a recompression algorithm is followed.

Representative diving tables:

U.S. Navy Table 6. This diving table consists of compression to the depth of 60 feet seawater with the patient on oxygen. The diver is later decompressed to 30 feet on oxygen, then slowly pushed to surface pressure. This table typically takes over 7 hours and may be extended further. It is the most common treatment for type 2 decompression illness.
U.S. Navy Table 5. This diving table is similar to Table 6 above, but is shorter in duration. It may be used in divers with less severe complaints (type 1 decompression illness).
U.S. Navy Table 9. This diving table consists of compression to 45 feet seawater with the patient on oxygen, with later decompression to surface pressure. This table is often used by monoplace hyperbaric chambers, or as a follow-up treatment in multiplace chambers.

Recompression chamber

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