The Value Of A Decompression Chamber Service

By Janine Hughes


During the 20th century scuba diving was introduced, allowing frogmen to attain previously unreachable depths. Those who ascended too rapidly sometimes suffered from expanding gas bubbles in the blood, which could cause extreme pain, paralysis, and even death. The solution that still remains in use today is slow equalization of atmospheric pressure accomplished inside a special room. A decompression chamber service helps those facilities run without interruption.

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.

Metal cylinders are still used for pressure equalization, but most modern units are acrylic plastic, and in some locations resemble a standard hospital treatment room. To make the time spent inside pass more pleasantly, many facilities are equipped with sound and entertainment systems, have advanced methods of fire suppression, and are controlled by computers. The emphasis is on patient comfort.

Monoplace chambers are intended for use by a single individual, and can contain an atmosphere of pure pressurized oxygen. Most manufacturers feature this common design, which costs slightly more than metal varieties. They have a highly reliable safety record, and are particularly useful because they allow hospital staff to closely observe and monitor patients during decompression.

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.

The same type of pressurized chamber is widely used by many hospitals today to help those having problems healing normally. Hyperbaric chambers are used to aid those suffering from diabetic open wounds, people with severe burns requiring skin grafts or who have been accidentally crushed, or patients undergoing intensive chemotherapy. Breathing oxygen under pressure increases levels more efficiently.

Because the rooms must always be ready for an emergency, unscheduled down-time is not an option. Service businesses currently exist that not only design and sell this type of facility, but also help maintain them afterward during real-time use. There is an emphasis on reliable, rapid deployment of technicians during a failure, and new computer diagnostic software discovers developing problems from a distance.

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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