OBJECTIVETo observe the therapic effects of the recompression treatment schedule D2 (breathing 100% oxygen at 0.12 MPa gauge pressure) on the type I decompression illness (DCI) by hyperbaric chamber pressurized with air.

METHODSThe recompression treatment schedule D2 was from the decompression treatment tables of in Germany BGI690. Seven cases on work site group (work site group) and five cases in hospital (hospital group) were treated using recompression treatment. All cases suffered from type I DCI after normal decompression procedures from working in compressed air in tunnel construction. These patients were treated with basic schedule D2 or extended schedule D2 according to the symptoms of the cases responded to recompression therapy.

RESULTSIn the work site group, the pains of joints, arms and legs were released quickly, the therapic effects appeared at (8.1 +/- 8.1) min, the cases were cured with a recompression therapy of basic schedule D2, the total mean time of treatment was (150 +/- 0.0) min. In the hospital group, the pains of joints, arms and legs disappeared slowly, the therapic effects appeared at (115.0 +/- 60.0) min, the cases were cured with a recompression therapy of extended schedule D2, the total mean time of treatment was (270.0 +/- 0.0) min, which was significantly longer than that in the work site group (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONSThe treatment pressure is 0.12 MPa(gauge pressure) in schedule D2 with medical hyperbaric chamber pressurized with air,which can be used for treatment of type I DCI, the curative effects in the work site group are better than those in the hospital group.