Decompression Sickness (Bends)

A condition occurring as a result of exposure to a rapid fall in ambient pressure. Gases, nitrogen in particular, come out of solution and form bubbles in body fluid and blood. These gas bubbles accumulate in joint spaces and the peripheral circulation impairing tissue oxygenation causing disorientation, severe pain, and potentially death.

Also Known As:

Networked: 1456 relevant articles (20 outcomes, 83 trials/studies)

Relationship Network

Disease Context: Research Results

Related Diseases

1.	Decompression Sickness (Bends)
2.	Pathologic Constriction (Stenosis)
3.	Pain (Aches)
4.	Intracranial Aneurysm (Cerebral Aneurysm)
5.	Rupture

Experts

1.	Blatteau, Jean-Eric: 10 articles (12/2015 - 08/2008)
2.	Lambrechts, Kate: 8 articles (12/2015 - 01/2014)
3.	Hyldegaard, O: 8 articles (01/2015 - 05/2001)
4.	Buzzacott, Peter: 7 articles (12/2015 - 01/2014)
5.	Gempp, Emmanuel: 7 articles (10/2014 - 08/2008)
6.	Wang, Qiong: 6 articles (12/2015 - 01/2014)
7.	Mazur, Aleksandra: 6 articles (12/2015 - 01/2014)
8.	Guerrero, François: 6 articles (12/2015 - 01/2009)
9.	Castagna, Olivier: 6 articles (01/2013 - 01/2009)
10.	Pilmanis, Andrew A: 6 articles (07/2005 - 08/2002)

Drugs and Biologics

Drugs and Important Biological Agents (IBA) related to Decompression Sickness:

1.	OxygenIBA 05/01/2010 - "The data show that prebreathing oxygen, more effective with HBO than NBO, decreases air bubbles and platelet activation and, therefore, may be beneficial in reducing the development of decompression sickness." 10/01/2004 - "This could also be protective against decompression sickness and EVA-related 100% oxygen requirements before and during this activity, both of which predispost to EI." 12/15/2015 - "Despite "gold standard" hyperbaric oxygen treatment, 30% of patients suffering from neurological decompression sickness still exhibit incomplete recovery, including sensory impairments. " 06/01/2011 - "Oxygen pretreatment as protection against decompression sickness in rats: pressure and time necessary for hypothesized denucleation and renucleation." 01/01/1977 - "It was demonstrated that oxygen breathing on the ground and at an altitude of 8 km for 20 and 50-60 min eliminated severe symptoms and lowered the frequency of occurrence of mild symptoms of decompression sickness during the subsequent 10-20 and 60-120 min exposures to altitudes of 40,000 and 11,000 m respectively. "
2.	DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid)IBA 10/22/2013 - "We determined that mispair-containing DNAs were bent more by MutS than complementary sequence DNA (csDNA), did not promote tetramer formation, and allowed MutS conversion to a sliding clamp conformation that eliminated the DNA bends. " 12/07/2012 - "In accord with prior biochemical and structural studies, TOP2A significantly bends its DNA substrate using a bipartite, nucleolytic center formed at an N-terminal dimerization interface of the cleavage core. " 11/01/2006 - "Previous studies have supported a direct role for DNA bending and conformation in gene expression, which suggests that agents that induce bends in DNA might be able to control gene expression. " 12/15/2004 - "Compensating bends in a 16-base-pair DNA oligomer containing a T(3)A(3) segment: A NMR study of global DNA curvature." 05/06/2003 - "On the basis of the results of the fluorescence energy transfer study of the gal P1 promoter, gal bends asymmetrically upon binding to CRP, although DNA bends symmetrically in the CRP-lac complex. "
3.	PolymersIBA 12/25/2006 - "Reduced loss through improved fabrication for single air interface bends in polymer waveguides." 07/03/1998 - "The present study extends the applicability of the worm-like chain model to polymers containing bends or sections of different flexibility. " 12/02/2013 - "Low-loss sharp bends in polymer waveguides enabled by the introduction of a thin metal layer." 04/01/2010 - "We use two distinct methods: making the post spacing commensurate with the equilibrium periodicity of the polymer, which controls the orientation of the linear features, and making local changes to the shape or distribution of the posts, which direct the formation of bends, junctions and other aperiodic features in specific locations. " 01/22/2007 - "We used the method of nested bends for the first time in multimode polymer waveguides to calculate the propagation loss on a small substrate without using destructive cut-back. "
4.	helioxIBA 01/01/2015 - "The main objectives of the present study was to establish an animal model of decompression sickness (DCS) after heliox saturation diving, and to use this model to evaluate possible morphological changes in the CNS induced by DCS using structural MRI. " 09/01/2011 - "We see no reason for reservations in the use of heliox breathing during treatment of air-diving-induced decompression sickness." 05/01/2001 - "The clinical implication of these findings might be that heliox 50:50 is the mixture of choice for the treatment of decompression sickness." 12/01/1994 - "The present experiments suggest that heliox breathing at 1 atm abs may not exacerbate limb bends." 09/01/1991 - "The effect of heliox treatment on CNS decompression sickness after air dives is discussed."
5.	HydrogenIBA 06/01/2011 - "Hydrogen (H2) has been reported to be effective in the treatment of oxidative injury, which plays an important role in the process of decompression sickness (DCS). " 01/01/2014 - "Our data suggest that tensile force bends the cadherin extracellular region such that they form long-lived, force-induced hydrogen bonds that lock X-dimers into tighter contact. " 12/01/2013 - "While overall structure of TRPV3-ARD is similar to ARDs from other members of TRPV subfamily; it, however, features a noticeable finger 3 loop that bends over and is stabilized by a network of hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic packing, instead of being flexible as seen in known TRPV-ARD structures. " 06/01/2011 - "Protective effect of hydrogen-rich saline on decompression sickness in rats." 06/11/2002 - "Whereas the native peptide was found to be flexible, containing a hydrogen-bonded turn and bends, the amidated analogue exhibited a defined alpha-helix at the C-terminal region, causing the latter to be significantly elongated and more structured. "
6.	Retinaldehyde (Retinal)IBA 01/01/2014 - "Improved automated optic cup segmentation based on detection of blood vessel bends in retinal fundus images." 12/21/2015 - "In the distortions, whereas the locations of kinks for all helices were similar to those of Protein Data Bank's data, the amount of bends was more similar for helices away from the retinal than for those close to the retinal in the native structure. " 09/01/2010 - "To observe the effect of rapid decompression on rat multifocal electroretinogram (mfERG) and to explore the characteristics of the retinal function impairment due to decompression sickness at early stage. " 10/01/2015 - "Part 1 assesses acute indications such as air or gas embolism, decompression sickness, CO-poisoning, clostridialmyonecrosis, necrotizing problem wounds, acute traumatic wounds and arterial retinal occlusion. " 10/01/2015 - "Part 1 assesses acute indications such as air or gas embolism, decompression sickness, CO-poisoning, clostridialmyonecrosis, necrotizing problem wounds, acute traumatic wounds and arterial retinal occlusion. "
7.	Aspirin (Acetylsalicylic Acid)FDA LinkGeneric 01/01/2013 - "Aspirin in the treatment of decompression sickness: what can we learn from French experience?" 11/01/2008 - "We have performed a survey on the use of aspirin in decompression sickness (DCS) treatment in French hyperbaric centers'. " 11/01/2008 - "[Aspirin in decompression sickness]." 01/01/1982 - "Levodopa and aspirin pretreatment beneficial in experimental decompression sickness." 01/01/2013 - "Response to letter to the editor by Westerweel et al., entitled 'aspirin in the treatment of decompression sickness: what can we learn from French experience?' [Int Marit Health 2013; 64, 1: 51]."
8.	Levodopa (L Dopa)FDA LinkGeneric 10/01/1976 - "It appears, therefore, that levodopa might be one of the few injectable agents enhancing recovery from air-induced paraplegia, suggesting its possible use in decompression sickness." 01/01/1982 - "Levodopa and aspirin pretreatment beneficial in experimental decompression sickness."
9.	Fluoxetine (Prozac)FDA LinkGeneric 01/01/2012 - "Protective effects of fluoxetine on decompression sickness in mice." 12/15/2015 - "Fluoxetine stimulates anti-inflammatory IL-10 cytokine production and attenuates sensory deficits in a rat model of decompression sickness."
10.	VitaminsIBA 01/01/1977 - "The mortality rate due to decompression injury was found to be significantly greater in a rat population with a mild vitamin B-6 deficiency, compared to an adequately fed control group, when subjected to a bends-producing N2-O2 dive. " 01/01/1977 - "Interdependence of decompression sickness and plasma enzymes on dive profile and vitamin B-6 status."

Therapies and Procedures

1.	Decompression 03/01/2010 - "Protection against decompression sickness (DCS) by acclimation to hyperbaric decompression has been hypothesized but never proven. " 04/01/2009 - "We previously hypothesized that the number of bubbles emerging on decompression from a dive, and the resultant risk of decompression sickness (DCS), may be reduced by a process whereby effective gas micronuclei that might otherwise have formed bubbles on decompression are shrunk and eliminated. " 03/01/2014 - "In studies of decompression procedures, ultrasonically detected venous gas emboli (VGE) are commonly used as a surrogate outcome if decompression sickness (DCS) is unlikely to be observed. " 03/01/2012 - "This study attempted to correlate self-reported post-dive Diver Health Survey (DHS) scores with computed daily probability of decompression sickness (pDCS) values as a measure of decompression stress in occupational divers in the recreational diving industry. " 01/01/2010 - "In order to study circadian rhythms and decompression sickness (DCS), we determined: 1) the baseline circadian time structure in noncompressed rats of potential response variables to compression/decompression (C/D), and 2) whether rats subjected to C/D display a circadian time-dependent difference in inflammatory response intensity and biological tolerance. "
2.	Injections 07/01/2003 - "The model used a physiological description of gas flux fitted to the observed decompression sickness (DCS) incidence in two groups of pigs: untreated controls, and animals that had received intestinal injections of H2-metabolizing microbes that biochemically eliminated some of the H2 stored in the pigs' tissues. " 06/01/1978 - "Results indicate that predive injections of SMAF or exposure to the SMAF substance protected rats against decompression sickness and that higher doses appear to offer more protection." 09/01/1976 - "Since they may serve as "nuclei" for visible intravascular bubble formation, are sometimes associated with decompression sickness, and are additionally considered undesirable, it would appear prudent to minimize i.v. injections immediately before flights. " 10/01/1976 - "It appears, therefore, that levodopa might be one of the few injectable agents enhancing recovery from air-induced paraplegia, suggesting its possible use in decompression sickness."
3.	Semiconductors 10/20/2001 - "Improved design of a polarization converter based on semiconductor optical waveguide bends."
4.	Canes (Cane) 03/01/1991 - "Frequencies above about 90 Hz caused irregular asymmetrical flagellar beating with a marked decrease in amplitude of the propagated bends and a skewing of the flagellar axis towards one side; the flagella often stopped in a cane shape. "
5.	Hyperbaric Oxygenation 03/01/2015 - "The aim of this study is to investigate factors associated with residual symptoms after hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) in type I decompression sickness (DCS). " 11/01/2014 - "Inner ear decompression sickness following scuba diving is not uncommon and the characteristic features of this disorder are acute peripheral vestibular syndrome, sometimes associated with cochlear signs, requiring urgent hyperbaric oxygen therapy. " 04/28/2004 - "Hyperbaric oxygen therapy was started 30 hours after the event because decompression sickness was suspected. " 06/01/2002 - "Evidence for a causal relationship between decompression sickness (DCS) and leukocyte sequestration was assessed in a rat model based on the effects of interventions which impede cell-to-cell adherence, including hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBO2). " 06/01/2002 - "Vascular leukocyte sequestration in decompression sickness and prophylactic hyperbaric oxygen therapy in rats."