

IWR would only be suitable for an organised and disciplined group of divers with suitable equipment and practical training in the procedure. IWR to 9 m breathing oxygen is one option that has shown success over the years IWR is not without risk and should be undertaken with certain precautions. Surface oxygen for first aid has been proven to improve the efficacy of recompression and decreased the number of recompression treatments required when administered within four hours post dive. Significant delay to treatment, difficult transport, and facilities with limited experience may lead one to consider on site treatment. Treatment of DCS utilizing the US Navy Treatment Table 6 with oxygen at 18m is a standard of care. Any one of these events is likely to result in the diver drowning or further injury to the diver during a subsequent rescue to the surface. The risk of the procedure comes from the fact that a diver suffering from DCS is seriously ill and may become paralysed, unconscious or stop breathing whilst under water.

Ĭarrying out in-water recompression when there is a nearby recompression chamber or without special equipment and training is never a favoured option. It is a risky procedure that should only ever be used when the time to travel to the nearest recompression chamber is too long to save the victim's life. In-water recompression ( IWR) or underwater oxygen treatment is the emergency treatment of decompression sickness (DCS) of sending the diver back underwater to allow the gas bubbles in the tissues, which are causing the symptoms, to resolve.
