Hawaiian deep treatments: efficacy and outcomes, 1983-2003

This paper reports on the outcomes and efficacy of the deep treatment schedules employed at the University of Hawaii to treat diving accident victims. These tables utilize increased atmospheric pressures, several mixed gas combinations, and a more gradual staged decompression rate than US Navy treatment schedules. The majority of our study population (72.4%) was treated using a single specific treatment schedule. 90% were treated using deep tables either singly or in combination with other tables. 91.6% of cases treated on deep tables achieved complete functional recovery. The percentage of cases obtaining complete functional recovery ranged from 91.3% to 99% based upon condition treated, and from 77.5% to 100% based upon treatment schedule employed. Number of treatments required by type of injury ranged from 1.3 to 2.4 treatments. 74.5 % of cases required two or less treatments to obtain complete functional recovery. Severity of injury and age of the diver were the most sensitive predictors of outcome while delay to treatment did not influence outcomes in this study population.