Report of the Decompression Illness Adjunctive Therapy Committee of the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society, Including Proceeding of the Fifty-third Workshop.

History of the Decompression Illness Adjunctive Therapy Committee: The  adjunctive Therapy ad hoc Subcommittee was formed in 1998 to investigate and review therapies that could be used in addition to or in lieu of recompression therapy. In 2000 the subcommittee was formally changed to a UHMS standing committee. A grant application had been submitted by Don Chandler on behalf of the UHMS to the US Special Operations Command to (a) Form a standing UHMS committee to review the available literature on treatment of decompression sickness and gas embolism and make recommendations for therapy based on the best clinical series, case reports, and animal studies available; (b) Place special emphasis in this review on the pre-recompression phase of treatment, which may be prolonged in Special Operations; and (c) Make recommendations for specific animal trials that will study the most promising new treatment modalities or otherwise enhance our ability to treat dysbaric disorders. In line with its mission, a workshop was held at Duke University on January 23 and 24, 2002 to discuss current knowledge about decompression illness in humans, animal models, adjunctive therapies and possibilities for research.

The views, opinions, and findings contained herein are those of the author(s) and should not be construed as an official Agency position, policy, or decision unless so designated by other official documentation.