Health effects of hyperbaric exposure on chamber attendants: a literature review. 2018

Richard Pougnet, and Laurence Pougnet, and David Lucas, and Anne Henckes, and Brice Loddé, and Jean-Dominique Dewitte
French Maritime Medicine Society (Société Française de Médecine Maritime SFMM); Université de Bretagne Occidentale, 22, rue Camille Desmoulins, 29200 Brest, France. richard.pougnet@live.fr.

Inside attendants working in hyperbaric chambers are exposed to risks related to the hyperbaric environment, handling and care. The aim of this study is to review the literature focusing on the impact of this activity on health. This is a literature review using the Medline database. Eight articles studied decompression illness (DCI). The incidence of DCI ranged from 0 to 37 per 100,000 sessions in hyperbaric chambers (SHC). The incidence of injuries ranged from 0 to 412 per 100,000 SHC. The most prevalent cause of accidental death was fire: 77 deaths (patients and attendants) between 1923 and 1996. Dysbaric osteonecrosis has been reported in one study only. Inside attendants face risks in the chamber, even if serious health effects seems rare compared to the total number of SHC.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D009784 Occupational Diseases Diseases caused by factors involved in one's employment. Diseases, Occupational,Occupational Illnesses,Disease, Occupational,Illnesse, Occupational,Illnesses, Occupational,Occupational Disease,Occupational Illnesse
D010020 Osteonecrosis Death of a bone or part of a bone, either atraumatic or posttraumatic. Aseptic Necrosis of Bone,Avascular Necrosis of Bone,Kienbock Disease,Necrosis, Aseptic, of Bone,Necrosis, Avascular, of Bone,Bone Necrosis,Kienbock's Disease,Kienboeck Disease,Kienboeck's Disease,Bone Aseptic Necrosis,Bone Avascular Necrosis,Bone Necroses,Kienboecks Disease,Necroses, Bone,Necrosis, Bone,Osteonecroses
D003665 Decompression Sickness A condition occurring as a result of exposure to a rapid fall in ambient pressure. Gases, nitrogen in particular, come out of solution and form bubbles in body fluid and blood. These gas bubbles accumulate in joint spaces and the peripheral circulation impairing tissue oxygenation causing disorientation, severe pain, and potentially death. Bends,Caisson Disease,Caisson Diseases,Disease, Caisson,Diseases, Caisson,Sickness, Decompression
D005390 Fires Combustion or burning in which substances combine chemically with oxygen typically giving out bright light, heat, and smoke. Fire
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D006931 Hyperbaric Oxygenation The therapeutic intermittent administration of oxygen in a chamber at greater than sea-level atmospheric pressures (three atmospheres). It is considered effective treatment for air and gas embolisms, smoke inhalation, acute carbon monoxide poisoning, caisson disease, clostridial gangrene, etc. (From Segen, Dictionary of Modern Medicine, 1992). The list of treatment modalities includes stroke. Oxygenation, Hyperbaric,Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy,Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapies,Hyperbaric Oxygenations,Oxygen Therapies, Hyperbaric,Oxygen Therapy, Hyperbaric,Oxygenations, Hyperbaric,Therapies, Hyperbaric Oxygen,Therapy, Hyperbaric Oxygen
D000062 Accidents, Occupational Unforeseen occurrences, especially injuries in the course of work-related activities. Accidents, Industrial,Industrial Accidents,Occupational Accidents,Accident, Industrial,Accident, Occupational,Industrial Accident,Occupational Accident
D001469 Barotrauma Injury following pressure changes; includes injury to the eustachian tube, ear drum, lung and stomach. Barotraumas
D015994 Incidence The number of new cases of a given disease during a given period in a specified population. It also is used for the rate at which new events occur in a defined population. It is differentiated from PREVALENCE, which refers to all cases in the population at a given time. Attack Rate,Cumulative Incidence,Incidence Proportion,Incidence Rate,Person-time Rate,Secondary Attack Rate,Attack Rate, Secondary,Attack Rates,Cumulative Incidences,Incidence Proportions,Incidence Rates,Incidence, Cumulative,Incidences,Person time Rate,Person-time Rates,Proportion, Incidence,Rate, Attack,Rate, Incidence,Rate, Person-time,Rate, Secondary Attack,Secondary Attack Rates
D016273 Occupational Exposure The exposure to potentially harmful chemical, physical, or biological agents that occurs as a result of one's occupation. Exposure, Occupational,Exposures, Occupational,Occupational Exposures

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