Medical barofunction testing of aviators with otorhinolaryngologic disease

Forty aviators with otorhinolaryngologic pathology, previously considered physically disqualified for flight status, were tested in the hypobaric chamber to evaluate tolerance to rapid barometric pressure changes. Testing consisted of three sequential trials in the low-pressure chamber (LPC) at rates of 1,524 m, the second to 3,048 m, and the third to 5,486 m. Failure consisted of any symptoms (pain) or physical findings of barotrauma (aerosinusitis or aerootitis media). Results revealed a 22.5% failure rate. The findings indicate this type of "Medical Barofunction Test" is a practical adjunct to the clinical evaluation of the aviator. The profile is safe and free from serious dysbaric episodes experienced above 7.620 m. Follow-up studies revealed the incidence of false negatives to be only 8% by the LPC test. The findings are not significantly different from the medical disqualification rate of a normal student aviator comparison group.