Saturation treatment in shore-based chambers for divers with deteriorating cerebro-spinal decompression sickness

Nearly 4% of all primary recompression treatments in Scotland employ saturation tables (helium/oxygen-oxygen/air or oxygen/air alone). These cases usually involve divers presenting at the surface who then develop deteriorating spinal cord injury with varying degrees of cerebral involvement. Treatment is delivered either through immediate saturation therapy or through conversion of failing or failed primary treatment. The basic principles and delivery protocols of saturation treatment are outlined. A case study from both types of treatment is presented to illustrate the forms of decompression sickness that may require saturation treatment and how the treatments are initiated and evolve.