Bubble growth in biological systems

Abstract

Introduction: No diver likes to think that bubbles have formed in his body during any decompression, especially one which has proved asymptomatic. The same philosophy tends to apply to those who formulate the diving tables which are the ultimate product resulting from experience and research into the mechanisms of decompression sickness. Although the wording accompanying the presentation of methods for calculating decompression tables may sound plausible, it is equations and not words which are used in the computation and these may not necessarily say the same thing. Before discussing the fundamentals of bubble growth it is therefore desirable to identify the vital aspects which could affect the final product - the diving tables. (Editors notes: This paper was presented at the International Symposium on Supersaturation and Bubble Formation in Fluids and Organisms, held at Kongsvoll by the Royal Norwegian Society of Sciences and Letters, The Foundation, from 6th to 10th June 1988. The proceedings of the symposium, from which the above has been taken, with necessary alterations for the different reference style of this journal, have been published by Tapir Publishers of Trondheim, Norway. We are grateful to he Royal Norwegian Society of Sciences and Letters, The Foundation, and to Professor Brian Hills for permission to reprint.)