High Pressure Environments (Bends Caisson Disease)

[Lorenzo]

In a hyperbaric environment breathing room air (21% O2 and 79% N2) , the partial pressure of O2 and N2 will increase in the alveoli and systemic arterial blood.T he pressure of nitrogen will also increase in other body compartments. The adverse effect of a high PO2 can be oxygen toxicity. The high PN2 can cause nitrogen narcosis, but, more important, it can lead to the bends (Bends-Caisson Disease).

[Lorenzo]

The prerequisite for diagnosis of bends/ bends caisson disease are :

1. breathing high - pressure nitrogen for a prolonged period of time

2. sudden decompression

Patho-physiology: The sudden decompression causes bubbles of nitrogen (emboli) in the bloodstream and tissues.

Treatment: Recompression and slow, gradual decompression.