Alterations in red blood cell morphology during a 500 metre dive

Following compression to 500 m in a simulated chamber dive, the blood samples of the six divers were all found to contain several types of non-discoid erythrocytes. Compression to this depth induced a pressure stress and sensitisation in a proportion of each divers' erythrocyte population. Long in vitro decompression procedures further stressed these red cells and resulted in additional morphological changes. The formation of stomatocytes was increased by an acidic-buffered fixative, conversely, an alkaline medium caused echinocytosis. Cell counts of each morphological cell type showed that as echinocyte stage III & IV numbers were reduced a simultaneous decrease in mean haemoglobin concentration occurred. Decompressions of blood samples for routine haematology should be at a rate of 3 m/min so as to be completed within four hours from venesection. Hyperbaric exposure time explicitly influence these red cell anomalies and development of a subclinical anaemia.