Biomaterial Database

Effect of decompression per se on nitrogen elimination. 1978

B A Hills

The elimination of nitrogen from each of 10 unanesthetized guinea pigs has been monitored after switching to a nitrogen-free breathing mix (normoxic He:O2), either without decompression or on decompression to 2.21 or 1 ATA, following an exposure of 2 h at 4 ATA on normoxic N2;O2. Normoxic conditions were maintained throughout to avoid vasomotor effects of oxygen that could have complicated interpretations derived from previous studies. Results confirmed that inert gas washout rates decrease with decompression per se. This can be explained simply on the basis of the decrease in driving force for nitrogen elimination caused by depositing gas into bubbles where they form in tissue in a somewhat random manner. A very rough estimate shows that about 83% of all body tissue retained its gas in supersaturated solution on decompression to 2.21 ATA but only 79% did so at 1 ATA.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D009584	Nitrogen	An element with the atomic symbol N, atomic number 7, and atomic weight [14.00643; 14.00728]. Nitrogen exists as a diatomic gas and makes up about 78% of the earth's atmosphere by volume. It is a constituent of proteins and nucleic acids and found in all living cells.
D010100	Oxygen	An element with atomic symbol O, atomic number 8, and atomic weight [15.99903; 15.99977]. It is the most abundant element on earth and essential for respiration.	Dioxygen,Oxygen-16,Oxygen 16
D011312	Pressure	A type of stress exerted uniformly in all directions. Its measure is the force exerted per unit area. (McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, 6th ed)	Pressures
D012119	Respiration	The act of breathing with the LUNGS, consisting of INHALATION, or the taking into the lungs of the ambient air, and of EXHALATION, or the expelling of the modified air which contains more CARBON DIOXIDE than the air taken in (Blakiston's Gould Medical Dictionary, 4th ed.). This does not include tissue respiration (	Breathing
D003664	Decompression	Decompression external to the body, most often the slow lessening of external pressure on the whole body (especially in caisson workers, deep sea divers, and persons who ascend to great heights) to prevent DECOMPRESSION SICKNESS. It includes also sudden accidental decompression, but not surgical (local) decompression or decompression applied through body openings.
D006168	Guinea Pigs	A common name used for the genus Cavia. The most common species is Cavia porcellus which is the domesticated guinea pig used for pets and biomedical research.	Cavia,Cavia porcellus,Guinea Pig,Pig, Guinea,Pigs, Guinea
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D001273	Atmosphere Exposure Chambers	Experimental devices used in inhalation studies in which a person or animal is either partially or completely immersed in a chemically controlled atmosphere.	Atmosphere Exposure Chamber,Chamber, Atmosphere Exposure,Chambers, Atmosphere Exposure,Exposure Chamber, Atmosphere,Exposure Chambers, Atmosphere