[Theoretical analysis of causes for prolonged delay of decompression sickness onset in divers]

Abstract

The analysis of probable causes for anomalously prolonged latent time of developing decompression sickness in divers after completion of air dives was carried out in the content of the theory of formation and subsequent evolution of gas bubbles in body tissues. This phenomenon gives grounds to consider that certain of the decompression bubbles have a prolonged lifetime and gradually increase their affect on adjacent tissues. The main causes of increasing the lifetime of these bubbles are the increase of their sires due to the reduction of tissue perfusion during decompression and the coalescence them to one another, as well the encrustation of bubbles by a layer of intercellular fluid elements that reduces the rate of nitrogen diffusion from bubbles to tissues and retards their dissolution. The bubble layer decreases also the gas pressure inside bubbles due to reduction of the surface tension action of intercellular fluid that results in additional reduction of the diffusion flow of nitrogen from bubbles and the rate of their dissolution. Moreover, taken alone, the process of bubble layer formation seems as one of the main mechanisms of tissue lesions by gas bubbles.