Advances In Prevention Of Diver Decompression Sickness

Decompression sickness (DCS) remains a major problem of diving. Prevention of DCS is possible if the responsible physical events are understood and avoided. At the Naval Medical Research Institute (NMRI), a research program is addressing the problem by asking the questions: how much, where and how fast does gas enter the body, and how do bubbles originate and lead to symptoms? The answers, appropriately integrated, should provide substantial improvement in diving safety and efficiency.