Hyperbaric treatment for decompression sickness: current recommendations.

Decompression sickness (DCS, "bends") is caused by formation of bubbles in tissues and/or blood when the sum of dissolved gas pressures exceeds ambient pressure (supersaturation). This may occur when ambient pressure is reduced during any of the following: ascent from a dive; depressurization of a hyperbaric chamber; rapid ascent to altitude in an unpressurised aircraft or hypobaric chamber; loss of cabin pressure in an aircraft [2] and during space walks.
Competing Interests: The authors of this paper declare no conflicts of interest exist with this submission.
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