Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for A Critically Ill Patient Suffering From Severe Decompression Sickness

Abstract

BACKGROUND A 39 years old diver presented to the emergency department of 96 Armed Forces Hospital Lu- mut with altered conscious level after an air scuba dive to 56 metres depth. He did not receive any first aid or oxy- gen resuscitation throughout his transport from the dive site to our hospital. He was intubated in the emergency department and stabilized in the intensive care unit be- fore initiation of recompression therapy in the hyperbaric chamber. However, within 24 hours, the diver succumbed due to severe decompression sickness (DCS). Our case demonstrates a classical presentation of severe DCS and discuss some of the issues in providing hyperbaric oxy- gen therapy for a critically ill patient.