Heliox treatment for spinal decompression sickness following air dives

Abstract

Enforced delay in treatment of spinal decompression sickness following scuba diving can result in paraplegia. Poor response from initial recompression to 18 m presents the clinician with a difficult management problem. Theoretical objections have been raised to the use of He-O2 as treatment regimen. We report 3 cases that show He-O2 to be an excellent method of treatment in spinal decompression sickness after air diving.