[abstract] 10,000 DIVES: A REVIEW OF INSIDE ATTENDANT DECOMPRESSION EVENTS IN A MULTIPLACE HYPERBARIC CHAMBER.

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The issue of attendant staff safety in the multiplace hyperbaric environment is of paramount importance. The Southeast Texas Hyperbaric Medicine Center opened in 1991 with a Reimer’s Multiplace Hyperbaric Chamber. We reached 10,000 Hyperbaric treatments in July 2005. A review of all attendant staff events was undertaken to evaluate our safety record and decompression protocols. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A comprehensive review of the logbooks for all of the hyperbaric treatments performed at SETX HMC was undertaken. All events that involved attendant staff and subsequent treatment were reviewed. Medical records were reviewed when available. RESULTS: A total of 10028 treatments were reviewed (carried through July 2005 for ease of data tabulation). 1829 hyperbaric treatments took place between 1992 and 1993. 15 hyperbaric staff decompression events were documented: 4 in 1992, 7 in 1993, 1 in 1994, 1 in 1996, 1 in 1997, and 1 in 2000. 3 events were suffered by one technician, who had offshore professional diving experience, 2 events were suffered by another technician who had USN diving experience, and 2 events were suffered by one RN with scuba experience. Of the other eight attendant events, 3 had previous diving experience, while 5 did not. Modified attendant decompression protocols and predive assessment of inside attendants, increased training dives, and adjustment of work schedules were instituted at the end of 1993. CONCLUSIONS: Most of the events occurred during the early years and at a time of rapid increase in the size of our practice. Increasing the time on oxygen for decompression, reducing the workload of the inside attendants, increasing their education and experience, and increasing the knowledge and experience of the attending physicians has reduced our rate of occurrences to zero.