Why does one event of the bends require..

[jbd]

multiple trips to the chamber as in the tread by nondiver? My simple understanding of recompression therapy would lead me to think that one trip should be enough.

 

[BillP]

Hi jbd:

Some cases of decompression sickness do just require a single treatment, but more serious cases usually involve multiple sessions. There's more to a bout of DCS than bubbles.

If you're a commercial or military diver and hop right into a chamber on your suface support ship when you surface you might be primarily treating bubbles by recompressing the diver. But by the time a recreational diver surfaces, gets back to the dock, goes to his hotel room for a rest, finally realizes that he has a problem, and eventually gets to a chamber hours (or even days) later many of the bubbles have resolved.

The focus of hyperbaric treatment at this point isn't to squeeze bubbles, it's to increase oxygen delivery to the tissues that have been starved of oxygen by lack of circulation. Improved oxygen delivery helps to prevent further tissue damage and also might help with healing. Multiple treatments have more benefit at this point than a single treatment.

Hope this helps,

Bill

 

[jbd]

this gives me a starting point to look into the latter part of your reply

jbd