The Value Of A Decompression Chamber Service

By Janine Hughes


During the mid-20th century free-divers reached depths previously out of reach, and in doing so encountered a related safety hazard. A too-rapid ascent caused dissolved gases in the blood to expand quickly as pressure was reduced. The bubbles that resulted could cause extreme pain, paralysis, and even death. The solution still in use is a slow equalization of internal pressure inside a special room. A decompression chamber service is designed to keep those facilities runs smoothly.

Also known as hyperbaric chambers, these vessels were originally adapted from the steel boilers used to power ships. They were already being used in a a high-pressure capacity, and could easily be transformed into airtight rooms big enough to hold people. This solution worked well, and the basic structural concept has been modified over the years with additional safety features and construction techniques.

Although metal is still used in certain models, most current chambers today are made of acrylics, and generally resemble a modern treatment room. In order to reduce boredom during long sessions spent inside, many are equipped with electronic entertainment centers. All employ the most advanced methods of preventing accidental fire, and most are computer controlled. Patient comfort is emphasized.

Those intended for use by a single individual are monoplace chambers, and the air mixture inside is replaced by pure oxygen when pressurized. They are the most common type, and are slightly more expensive than those made with metal frames. They have an excellent safety record and a reputation for reliability, and allow users to be closely monitored and observed medically.

A multiplace chamber can hold more people, and has advanced monitoring capabilities. Many have more than one airlock that allows the room to be completely sealed. Pure oxygen is not piped in generally, but is given to patients individually using a mask or hood, or sometimes through an endotracheal tube. Not filling the entire space with pure oxygen reduces accidental fires. Several people with differing levels of trouble can be treated at one time.

Hospitals today use the same kind of pressurized oxygen to treat patients with problems healing normally. Spending time in a hyperbaric chamber can assist those with open diabetic sores, people who have been badly burned and require skin grafting, and those who have sustained crushing injuries in an accident or are recovering from chemotherapy. The pressure measurably increases the amount of oxygen in the blood.

Because these installations may be needed at any hour, any unscheduled down-time is not acceptable. Specialized services exist that present and install these chambers, as well as monitoring and maintaining them once in place. There is a strong emphasis on deploying repair technicians as quickly as possible when problems do emerge, and remote maintenance software that recognizes and corrects problems from a distance has become essential.

These services not only maintain their products, but also provide specialized training for those who operate them in centers featuring equipment designed to demonstrate the latest techniques and operations. The goal of these services is to reduce the time needed for service and upgrading, and to enable hospitals and other decompression locations to present the highest level of treatment at all times.




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