Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Case Reports
. 2003 Apr;74(4):357-9.

Altitude decompression sickness in a pilot wearing a pressure suit above 70,000 feet

Brian J Pickard  1
Affiliations
  • PMID: 12688456
Case Reports

Altitude decompression sickness in a pilot wearing a pressure suit above 70,000 feet

Brian J Pickard. Aviat Space Environ Med. 2003 Apr.

Abstract

U-2 pilots are at an increased risk of decompression sickness compared with other aviators in the U.S. Air Force. This is due to the extreme altitudes at which the missions take place. Presented here is a case of decompression sickness that occurred in a U-2 pilot who was wearing a full-pressure suit while flying at an altitude greater than 70,000 ft, with a pressurized cabin altitude of 29,200 ft. This case demonstrates the continued need for pilot education and awareness of DCS risk factors and symptoms.

PubMed Disclaimer

Publication types